Assisted living aids sleeping on the job?

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superfrustrated Asked May 2016

Assisted living aids sleeping on the job?

Can someone give me some advice as to how to handle evidence and knowledge of Aids who work nights in a MEMORY care unit at assisted living facility? I have 24 hour full time sitters who stay with my MIL and they are witnessing the employees of the facility sleeping on the job. They have even sent me photos and videos as evidence! However, I fear retaliation toward my sitters because it would be obvious that they were the ones who "told on them". In addition, I have always been careful as to what to report to administration that I hear going on from my private sitters because they could implement a policy of no-sitters and then I would be stuck relying on the terrible aids that work there to look after my MIL. I just feel TERRIBLE for the other residents who might be calling for help and the obvious potential fallout from the lack of care going on. Please realize that if I had a choice to move her to another facility I would, but there are multiple reasons I cannot and by having my own private sitters I am doing what I can to keep her safe. Again....it's this whole moral dilemma for what might be happening to the other residents ;-(!

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score 0 · Answer 1

Thank you all for your advice! Pamstegma...this was definitely NOT on a break and sadly she witnessed two of them sleeping at the same time. I will take the advice of alerting the administration anonymously. Again...thanks so much for your advice!

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score 1 · Answer 2

Super frustrated
I'm super frustrated too that after paying thousands of dollars per month to a memory care center that we have to hire personal caregivers to ensure their safety. It seems as soon as a LO has a fall, needs extra care or is a problem they suggest hire a one on one caregiver

Raise the issue to the exec director in a non-confrontational manner something along the lines of what is your policy on cnas taking naps while on break, or I have a delicate matter to bring to your attention. I had to do this when a recent hire entered my moms room at night and when my mom asked who is it she replied a ghost (This was reported to me by my personal caregiver ). I began the conversation by asking what is your policy on having caregivers approach a resident - the answer provided an easy transition to the complaint

Unfortunately double shifts happen and even in nursing homes I've seen cnas asleep in the hall as people are yelling for help....

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score 2 · Answer 3

Jeanne raises a good point about double shifts, I know there have been instances where my sis works when the night shift fails to show up and the afternoon staff have been forced to stay on. The jobs are often part time (to avoid having to pay benefits) and staff are forced to pick up work at two or three places in order to pay the bills, often double shifting or even attempting to work around the clock. That doesn't excuse sleeping on the job but it could explain why it happens.

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score 1 · Answer 4

Frustrated, just to be on the safe side, I would report anonymously (such as an unsigned letter postmarked from a different city) to an Ombudsperson. That way there's no tracing it back to your MIL or her caregivers. And caution them as well to be silent about this. When reporting infractions like this, you can't tell what the sleeping employees might do, if they retaliate, and if they're fired, they aren't going to be happy and could consider retaliation.

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score 1 · Answer 5

This happened to a member of my local support group. She was staying overnight with her loved one while he recovered from an acute illness, and she saw sleeping on the job and neglect. She reported it to the Medical Director of the facility. She said she wanted to see the practice of double-shifts abolished except in emergency, and better supervision on the night shift. She did not want to see people fired but wanted the situation corrected -- and fast. She said she would come and stay overnight periodically and if she didn't see improvement she would go to the ombudsman.

Unfortunately I don't know the end of that story! Apparently things improved, because she did keep her LO there.

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