My mom has advanced dementia. She has medicare and medicaid. It took me MONTHS to find a great home aide for her. She worked with mom from Tues-Sat and I filled in on Sun/Mon until I was able to find another good home aide. This past Friday, the aide got a call and was told not to go to work with my mom on Sat because they are not going to pay Overtime anymore. They sent another aide(don't think I didn't call and argue with that agency and with moms MLTC agency too) on Sat. The agency paid the aide that was suppose to work on Sat , two hours to train the new aide. I told her to stay the day and I'd pay her out of pocket just to make sure my mother was going to be ok. The aide who works 5 day with mom has totally bonded with my mom. She's been with mom for over 8 months. I am furious but I don't know what to do? Is there any person or place I can contact to make this right again? We live in NYC. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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I flagged that provision in a contract I'm reviewing now for an agency that I contacted for my father. They do reserve the right in the contract to change the hours and schedule. It's not really fair to you b/c you're relying on the workers, but I've found there's not much fairness at all in the private duty contracts.
You might want to double check the contract just to see if there are any rights of challenge provided to you.
I was thinking the other day how much we are at the mercy of the private duty companies; they provide a necessary service and can use that power to their benefit.
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Overtime is expensive, especially in NYC. Medicare & Medicaid funding is getting cut daily. Those programs are expensive and funded by taxpayers.
It is what it is. I am in health care and they won't allow us to work OT either.
Don't think we don't want the OT, but if it's between OT or keeping our jobs (& keeping your mom's agency open) we just have to deal with it.
Welcome to the world of healthcare, & it's not going to get any better soon.
I understand your concern, believe me, but very few agencies are making money, especially the taxpayer funded programs. The USA has a trillion dollar plus deficit. We all have to sacrifice alittle.
It's hard on your mom, I know, but this is happening everywhere. But maybe those hours saved by not paying OT to your favorite aide is assuring another senior gets an aide to care for her.