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I know the camera is for the lady I care for, but it throws me off. I'm a seasoned private caregiver and it makes me not want to talk or be myself. Thanks.

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Poshee, I remember back when my boss installed cameras at his home to watch his wife [who had Alzheimer's]. His wife's long time caregiver felt so uncomfortable knowing the cameras were there that eventually she gave notice to leaving the job. Couldn't blame her, I would be uncomfortable, too.

My boss wished he had never installed those cameras as he could not find a new caregiver that his wife would accept. The previous caregiver and his wife had such a great bond, it was like losing a close trusted friend. For months, his wife kept calling out for her former caregiver, and refused to cooperate with anyone new.
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Poshee Jun 2022
Thank you. I'm trying so hard to just ignore camera.
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Really? What about "being yourself" seems to you so odious that you would not want it filmed. You are correct that the camera is about the elder you are caring for, not you.
If you have a particular phobia about being filmed I would tell your agency that you don't wish to work for this client as you don't wish to be on film. If you are self hired give notice and to be frank I would not give them a "reason".
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KPWCSC Jun 2022
Why should she leave and not give a reason? Wouldn't it help the family to know the camera is making her uncomfortable? There may be a compromise. Otherwise, they may lose future quality caregivers.
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Well I'm a very vivacious person and the camera stunts that.im trying very hard to ignore it.Thanks for your opinion.
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fatherismyhero Jun 2022
It’s a job , not YOUR home . There are cameras in many places of employment.
unless You are a family member providing care for free you may be losing a chance to work for people that love their parents more than you can ever imagine . Hiring someone to come into your home that you don’t know and care for people you love is incredibly stressful. Within one month of having a camera my excellent caregiver asked me to view it at night more often because when she came in my father was not clean or cared for . That’s when I witnessed the night worker sleeping on the job , talking rudely with my dad . After I got to know this worker I’ll admit I did not watch her work often but did check on my dad to notice changes in mobility when she brought them up . No one is judging your vivacious personality and quite frankly it’s a red flag when someone who you don’t know will not WORK with cameras .
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I don't know your particular experience, but you may be reading this all wrong. The cameras may be about You at all. They may simply be a useful tool for your employer so she can keep an eye on her Mom remotely without "hovering." That is how I use mine.
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Sarah3 Jun 2022
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I have 2 cameras at my dads, so I can check on him when help is NOT there as I live out of town. If I check when help is there it to make sure everyone shows up, A quick glance.
my cameras are not about my wonderful helpers, they are for me to keep tabs on my dad (with dementia) when no one is there.
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Sarah3 Jun 2022
That’s good so you turn them off once the caregiver is there?
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I too am a seasoned private caregiver who's did homecare for almost 25 years. I agree with you about the cameras. They can be unnerving.
Of course I understand why people have them. I do think that after a caregiver has been on the job for a while and have established themselves as trustworthy and professional, the cameras should be turned off during their working hours. This has always been my policy with families. I make it known early on that I will only tolerate starring in the 'Real Caregivers of America' for a limited amount of time. Then it's either the family finds me acceptable and I stay, or they don't and I go. I'm always honest with families early on. I tell them not to expect me to talk to their "loved one" continually. I'm not going to be juggling flaming batons or putting on a magic show to entertain the client. Sometimes the client is going to be bored. Sometimes there is also going to be periods of silence.
I never took live-in work. I had one live-in position and ended up leaving. I couldn't stand it. God bless anyone who will be a live-in caregiver. It is not for me.
I'm of the opinion that if a person has to have cameras on them 24-hours a day to monitor their doings at home, they are no longer independent and should not be living alone.
Give your employer a time frame of how long you're willing to put up with the cameras.
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Sarah3 Jun 2022
I understand your view on this and think it’s is a very sensible approach. I can’t find it now but there was another person who commented that cameras don’t ensure trustworthiness I wish I could find that post but it made a lot of sense, treating the caregiver well and having open communication and clear expectations does more than a camera
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Unfortunately there are many caregivers who sleep, take off masks in covid times, are not appropriate in many ways , etc I’m going to be very direct here . When your parent is vulnerable it’s an added price of mind. I certainly was not focused on what the caregiver was doing unless there was a problem . We also worked with an agency and constantly had new caregivers rotating through. I fired one who literally changed into pajamas , put on a night cap and went to sleep every night !!! If you have nothing to hide and there are not cameras in the bathroom what is so personal that you would care ?
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BurntCaregiver Jun 2022
fatherismyhero,

Were you honest and up front with the caregiver about exactly what you expected from them?
If you were expecting them to be a security guard and stay up all night walking around checking the home and the client, then you should say so. That caregiver who went to sleep was very likely employed as a 'Sleep Duty' aide. This means they check on the client and maybe toilet them or change a diaper a couple of times during the shift, and they go to sleep. Depending on the state a 'Sleep Duty' caregiver doesn't even have to be paid minimum wage by the agency that employs them. They are like hairdressers and restaurant wait staff. Only no tips. Always be honest with caregivers about exactly what you want and expect.
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Ignore the camera . If you have been there awhile it’s probably not about you . Keep in mind most people have to eventually make the choice to move their loved ones out of the home . Watching the progression helps decide when it’s too much for one caregiver . I know it feels like more than a job and quite frankly our caregiver has become more like family . My parents have moved into a beautiful facility and I actually paid our caregiver to stay a week and get him accustomed to the staff there because I saw how amazing she was . I still buy her kids presents and although the payment has stopped because she no longer provides care , I would do absolutely anything for her . She agreed that if someone does t want a camera in a work environment it’s a red flag . .
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Just do your job and forget about the camera's. Yes its off putting. But I would do the same for my mother. I have been a sitter for a long time and have camera's in the homes I have worked. Like someone said they have camera's at most jobs now days. Rise above it and do what you love.
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You should talk to my co-workers, because some of them feel the same and are very vocal about it during handovers. I personally don't see the problem, but then I've spent idle moments contemplating the possibility of our wearing bodycams and how they could be made audio-only for personal care or other moments when our clients require privacy...

The way I see it, we are accountable for our actions during every moment on clients' premises, and surveillance provides an objective account with no trouble on our part. In what way is that not helpful?

As I said, this is not the view taken by my co-workers, who bandy about terms such as "breach of trust" and "invasion of privacy." They, however, are nothing like as contrary as certain agency staff described to me by the client's daughter, who told me that she'd made a formal complaint to the agency (a private sector agency, not our service) on two occasions. On the first, a worker had covered the camera with some PPE; on the second, a departing worker made a rude gesture to camera. Was she right to complain, the daughter asked me. Right to complain? I wanted to know what the agency's response was, because I thought the workers concerned were being absolute a-holes, but she didn't seem to have had a satisfactory answer.

The cameras are there because the client's family needs reassurance. They are anxious about their loved one. [They may also be anxious about getting value for money from the agency they're paying - not quite so noble, perhaps, but are they in the wrong?] Why would anyone think it unreasonable to assist their confidence? What are we doing or saying that we mind being observed doing or saying?

I regret that some families' bad experiences have led them to find the cameras necessary, because I'd rather they hadn't had the bad experiences. And I can't bring myself to like the sort of people who are timing arrivals and departures to the minute, or complaining about time spent on the phone (in our case, we'll be logging in, logging out, checking support plans, calling district nurses, referring concerns, requesting authorizations, etc. etc. etc., but how are they to know we're not playing Angry Birds?).

But if there is really anything about being yourself (at work, that is) that would come across that badly on camera, wouldn't you perhaps want to correct it?
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BurntCaregiver Jun 2022
Country,

You know as well as me that the family who wants value for their money hires private-pay caregivers.
The agency makes very good money off of their caregivers, but the caregiver usually gets minimum wage or a few cents above.
Care agencies couldn't care less whether or not a caregiver is providing quality care. They just replace them.
If quality caregiving was a concern of these places they would share some of the big money they rake in for their CNA and homemaker/companion help. They would give these workers a reason to be loyal to their company and clients. Like decent wages, medical insurance, paid sick leave, paid vacation hours. They would give the caregivers already employed by them full-time hours instead of constantly hiring more staff so they don't ever have to. This would certainly revolutionize in-home caregiving.
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So you don't mind cameras at the bank, at the grocery store, at the mall, recording you sitting in your car to post something on facebook, at the...
Cameras are every where and many places you wouldn't realize.

The cameras in a client's home are there for several reasons...they want to know what's going on with their loved one, with you there or not. When my mom fell in the bathroom and broke her hip, I was able to see the paramedics and judge when she left so I could meet her at the hospital since I lived half an hour away.

Or they do want to check on caregivers. We hired one for my Aunt who I thought was good, but my aunt started to act weird. We found out via the camera she was abusing my aunt. I flew thousands of miles to fire the witch. And had the proof to show her and her agency and potentially the police.

Or they want to ensure things are being done when a loved one can't remember things like medications, etc. . Or they just want to see how happy / sad the relative is. Or that the chores they contracted the care giver to do are getting done.

Also for insurance purposes. Having a video of an accident if a caregiver slips and falls is a reason that would protect a caregiver.

That a caregiver would not feel comfortable and think they somehow 'dictate' whether a camera is used or not tells me a lot about a caregiver. It tells me they aren't one I would have in my relative's home. You don't turn it off or tell me when to turn it off. It isn't your home or your relative. I don't care how long you've worked there. Things change.

It tells me they don't realize it's also to protect them from being accused of things from someone who has dementia. It tells me if they are uncomfortable just doing their job in front of a camera, what is it that they are uncertain about in their abilities they don't want the family to see?

Cameras are EVERYWHERE. If you don't want to work in front of them, you aren't the caregiver for our family. It shows a lack of understanding of the value for both sides, and a certain level of immaturity if you ask me. Most people who work in office buildings these days are on camera the entire time. It's no different and half the time it isn't about you anyway.
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BurntCaregiver Jun 2022
Cameras may be everywhere, but they are not on you for hours and hours at a time like they are for many caregivers.
If you have a "loved one" that has lost independence to the point where they have to be on camera 24-hours a day so you can monitor their every move, then they should not be living alone anymore.
Let me tell you something about caregivers seeming uncomfortable to you doing their job on camera. They're not hiding any inabilities. No one is ever really "comfortable" with some aspects of the job. Like wiping a client's a$$, changing their diaper, or peeling off clothes that have been peed and crapped through. I did for 25 years and it always makes you sick. When a caregiver is on Candid Camera they may be afraid if (God forbid) they gag by accident. Or cough. Or have the slightest facial expression of disgust which could mean they lose their job.
Caregivers are human beings too, you know.
Cameras are fine until trust has been established between a family and a caregiver. You know what works as good as cameras to ensure quality care from a caregiver and isn't intrusive?
References. Yes. Doing just a little bit of research on who's coming into your "loved one's" home.
I've known homecare workers who were on camera all day long who robbed their dementia clients blind. Mostly jewelry and banking/credit card information. The family didn't think they had to put anything away because there were cameras watching. People are cleverer than cameras when they want to be. Cameras do not make a caregiver trustworthy or guarantee quality client care. Having some respect for the people you're willing to leave your elderly with and seeing that they're paid decently is what will give you better odds on getting a quality caregiver in the home.
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I'm going to suggest that you acknowledge the elephant in the room rather than ignore it. It may help you personally. When you arrive and greet your client, greet the family member via the camera. Wish them a good day or other such small talk. If you have any particular plans for the day, include them in the conversation with your client. Then visualize them leaving the house. It's an internal mind game, similar to one you may have used in other situations you found stressful. You can do this. Your writing to the group tells me that you want to make it work. Go have an awesome day.
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Honestly this is a subject I’m not in agreement with. If a person doesn’t trust you they should make arrangements to take care of the family member
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Thirteenyrs Jun 2022
All the people that were caught on camera abusing the elderly thought they could be trusted by the family member or facility they worked for.
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If you are doing a good job and don't use foul language, you have nothing to worry about. However, it does make me wonder.... Did they ask your permission about filming you? Seems like you should have been asked before the cameras went in. You might want to check with a lawyer friend about if their film footage could be used in a court of law and what your rights are.
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Isthisrealyreal Jun 2022
In your home, you don't need permission or agreement. It's your home and you have the legal right to have cameras, just not in areas that would create "porn".
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I think one thing that is not being addressed, when you have cameras in your home or office, you are not sitting some place watching the footage. It is solely used to check in on situations.

I had them in my office for security and only once did I go back and review footage. I was trying to reach my office for 30 minutes and nobody was answering. Yeah, she was on her cell phone ignoring the business phone ringing, even though that was her job. But, I wasn't watching anything and it is the same with my home. Only when there is a reason do we ever review footage.

Don't be paranoid about a camera. If they are continually watching, it will come out and you can decide at that time to go or stay. But, I would bet that they aren't watching you.
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MargaretMcKen Jun 2022
Yes, watching someone else in real-time footage is incredibly time consuming and stops you living your own life. We had security cameras on the farm, motion sensor activated (by the wind, sheep etc unfortunately), and stopped bothering to monitor it.
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You said you are a seasoned caregiver. I’m sure you know what you are doing. Try to pretend the cameras aren’t there. The family probably feels some guilt because they aren’t the one taking care of her and just want to verify that she’s getting the help she needs. It’s for your protection as much as her. Some patients make up terrible lies about how they’re being treated. Some have dementia and really believe it, and some are just whining. Often patients claim they’re being stolen from. This will protect you. Try to think of it that way. God bless. You have a hard job to do!
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We are trying to install cameras only for the times my mom is alone in case of a fall. She often forgets to carry her portable phone and wear her life alert necklace.

Other reason is her not always answering the phone or retrieving messages.

We love her sitters and have discussed the one camera with them. It will be placed in mom's common areas and not private spaces.
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Unless it's in your face like TMZ or the paparazzi just do your job as normal and worry about your client. If your client is okay what you do outside of that if it's not neglect then you should be fine. People just want to make sure there loved one is not being mistreated. Maybe they had a bad experience and need to have cameras in there. If they didn't trust you or think you are the person they want they would replace you. If you talk to yourself or take breaks or whatever you do isn't crazy then just be yourself... Most people don't want you to be robotic. If you are or aren't it's their loved one they are concerned about and if not harmful your behavior shouldn't be a issue. Just be yourself and if they have a issue they will let you know and you can let them know about you being uncomfortable. If it's not a good fit or you can't get passed the feeling of uneasiness then perhaps the job isn't for you. Regardless of pay you can't or shouldn't be stressed out or uncomfortable at your place of business. Money can't buy happiness or peace of mind.
Good Luck!!
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Being on camera is something that requires previous consent.
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Isthisrealyreal Jun 2022
That's so funny!

It only requires consent if it will be broadcast or published in any way.
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First..check your States regulations on recording. Many places there needs to be 2 person consent to record audio. If your state requires 2 person consent and you have not given it they can not audio record you.
Video camera can not be recording in areas where you would normally expect privacy. So no video in the bathroom. If you have a room (as in if you live in) there can be no video in your room.
Other areas of the house video is permitted.
You have 2 options. (maybe 3 but I will get to that)
1. Deal with it and get used to it, it is a fact of life we are recorded in more and more places. you are recorded in the grocery store, the bank, walking down the street, at the gas station, when you go to the mall, you name it you are recorded.
2. Quit.
this is the 3rd..
3. Ask that the cameras be turned off when you are there. Since you the caregiver are there the cameras are not "necessary" as you will be keeping an eye on the lady. When you leave the cameras can be turned back on. I highly doubt this would happen.
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I have several cameras in my mom's home. I use them to communicate with her and definitely to keep an eye on her and make sure she is safe, especially since she is alone most of the time. They have been an absolute life-saver for us! Our caregiver comes in for a short time period each day and we actually help her when needed. She has told us she appreciates us being there to help out in real time (e.g., helping redirect my mom's attention when she is being difficult). We always greet our caregiver so she knows we are there. Likewise, she enters the house asking mom if she has been talking to my sister or me. My mom always says no, but then we pipe in and say hi. We have built a great relationship of mutual trust through regular interaction. We act as a team. ...Chances are, your situation is quite different than ours, but I do hope you can somehow just forget about the cameras and do your job. I actually look forward to the day when I won't need to be present on the cameras when our helper is there, but so far, our presence has been appreciated and helpful. ...I'll add that it is often ME who is on the camera when I am at mom's house, and I have no way of knowing if my sister is watching or listening unless she speaks to me (I do understand that my sister is not the same as your employer), but I did feel a bit self-conscious at first until I just stopped thinking about it and just focused on what I needed to get done. Pretty soon, I realized, as others here have pointed out, that sitting and watching camera footage gets old really fast and takes way too much time, so most of the time I doubt anyone is even watching it unless they have a specific concern that arises. Good luck!
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Poshee: Albeit perhaps difficult, try not to think of the camera as a hindrance.
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We had cameras set up in my Mom's home and they were invaluable - both in overseeing her while she was alone and trying out new caregivers. The cameras were in plain view, none were hidden - they were cameras that basically just allowed us to view in real time - we didn't have "record" services. My mother's beloved & longest caretaker never minded at all - and I can assure you that as you build a relationship with your patient, you won't mind either. When my mother was with her, we happily didn't monitor the cameras! However, when there was a need for additional help, those cameras were everything. I saw aides that hardly talked to my Mom, aides that spent most of the time on a couch and on the phone, aides that did the absolute minimum for my mother, aides that didn't follow the simplest of instructions.
My advice is to let yourself shine by being the great caretaker you are! The more you let go - the more you won't care anymore. You will have a closer and more rewarding relationship with your patient, and her family (who probably is rarely on the cameras due to their own busy lives) will truly value you.
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Don’t take the cameras personally. I had cameras in my home for my husband but they went on automatically at night at bedtime and turned off automatically at 5 AM. The reason they were in my home was to be able to see what direction my husband went in if he should escape from the house. It was for his safety only and not to spy on the caregivers. You might want to discuss this with the family members and tell them that you’re uncomfortable being on camera.
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