I am a CHHA who works for a senior care agency. I have a client who lives on her own. She is estranged from her only child, a son, and has no other family that live near by. She assigned a friend as her PoA. This client has been doing a lot of catalog Christmas and future birthday shopping over the past few months for her PoA and her adult children and grand kids, as she considers them "like family". I am at my client's house for just two short shifts each week. Her house was already cluttered and we were supposed to be getting things organized but the boxes that come almost daily now just add to the clutter and sorting them takes away from the completion of other tasks I should be getting done. She has balance issues, so getting those boxes off the floor is important to her safety. Her PoA doesn't seem to be coming in much to help as she has her own elderly parents and husband to care for. I don't think she's trying to dissuade my client from buying things for her family. I've tried to tell the client that she doesn't need to buy things for "these people" but she seems to feel she "owes them" as, in her view, they treat her as family. Walking into her home, I feel confused and frustrated. I have spoken to a nurse at the agency so they are aware, but client is still shopping. I've worked with this client for a few years and I'm very concerned for her, but I'm considering asking if they can reassign the client to another aide.
Since you've been working for her for several years, have you observed a change in behavior? Is the shopping spree a new thing? She is cluttering her house, making it unsafe and possibly beginning to hoard things. This could be a sign of her cognitive decline.
If she is in full charge of her faculty, then there might be other reasons.
Did she recently assign POA to her friend? If so, she probably feels especially grateful to the friend for accepting the POA responsibility. Perhaps, that feeling will wear off and the shopping spree will cease.
Christmas is just around the corner, the gifts intended for Christmas will be given away, so there should be less clutter.
You already talked to the client, and you already reported your concern to your employer. I think you have done what you should do in your capacity as a responsible CHHA. One thing though, if you suspect cognitive decline, you should let the POA friend know. The POA may need to step in and protect your client's finances.
If you don't want to continue working for this client, you should feel free to request to be assigned somewhere else.
Maybe, seeing that she has covered everyone on her list will help with this apparently compulsive behavior. If there is no list, help get one together and list what has been bought for each.
Maybe, try to find some volunteers to do the wrapping, if I was close I would help. I find wrapping therapeutic.
I would also encourage her that this is the most important time of the year to donate to shelters, that way those struggling without a home can get some new to them items to help them.
Best of luck helping her stop and stay on track.
- The caregiver contacts her admin about her concerns.
- The agency admin contacts the PoA to give them a heads-up as to whether or not there is a problem.
- The PoA works it out with their LO (and all is "normal" for her) or figures out their LO is operating out of a change in cognition.
- The PoA would hopefully contact the agency to confirm what is or is not going to change in the future. At this point the admin should be pointing out the clutter issue to either or both woman or the PoA. The spending issue is none of their business nor that of the hired aid, since everything reportable has been reported.
If the agency doesn't contact the woman or her PoA to address the clutter or the PoA sees no need to do anything and the clutter continues, then the hired aid can certainly ask to be reassigned. The hired aid can at this point discuss contacting APS with her manager if the home is truly a dangerous home environment and the PoA does nothing or the woman won't allow it.
Let the Client know that you can't do your job and if this doesnt stop, you won't be her Aide any longer.
Is this being done all the time or just now for Xmas?
Presents need to be delivered to the persons house who is getting the gift, not your Clients.
See All Answers