It Is Hubby And Me Against The World.

[Noella21]

Just when think things are going to get better It all falls apart again. Today after a six month wait we had a seating clinic. Just as I was going to warm up the van it would not start. My new staff that went with us for a Christmas program had left the dome lights on. That was Friday night. I had been minus 23 and too cold to go out since than. There is no wheelchair accessible transportation in our rural Towne accept my own van. My van was parked at the far end of the long garage and booster cables could not reach. Lucky for me my son was working in town and came with longer cables. Made it just on time. Got the acessent done for a tilt in space and appeal process started. Now I am notified that I will need to pay for a minimum of three hours for a one hour shift to get my hubby put to bed at night or make other arangements. I am paying 30 dollars an hour for this service it will go up to 90. It is labor standerds legislation. The large agency's have many clients to do so they go from place to place. My smaller agency only has us. So now I have that to deal with. They have just had a turn over of all new staff who are not used to my hubby's special needs and not adequately trained. R has been dropped twice and now they informed that the girls feel hubby would be better off staying at home instead of going out because his mobility has decreased lately. They all only have a couple of weeks some only worked a few shifts. How can they judge his mobility. They need to learn to connect with him. It is not easy strapping him into the van and they do not want do it. They suggest we should stay home more and they can play cards with him and I can go out alone. I am so mad. I think I should know if he is too tired. It is the staff that is tired. One of them has major mobility issues themselves. I think I am being dumped and now will need to find another way to get care. May have to hire my own staff again.Hope things look better in the morning.

[Hidden]

I suppose that is why people live in large communities, access to Hospitals and professionals and retirement homes, but a person who has been rural all his life is not going to like the city life. It is a huge problem in Northern Canada where it is very difficult to get services to the people in the far north and that is their home and will not leave. Very difficult choices, very big changes in lifestyle. One guy I know who is paralyzed from waste down negotiated with the Government and pays part of a live-in care givers wages and the govt picks up the rest instead of nurses visiting. Maybe that is possible.

Good Luck

[Hidden]

PS Just to remind you of something maybe your husband looked after. If you are going to live Rural (the best life ) you need to be self sufficient . Back - up generator for power failure, spare 12 volt battery and jumper on wheels, big first aid kit, food for 2 weeks, shotgun for bear visits, 4 wheel drive truck, cell phone charger for both truck and house, water, a big dog etc.

Not easy or cheap but worthwhile to live in the country

[andrewij]

There is always more than one victim in this situation. Things always look bleaker in the winter too, I think. I have no advice to give, I'm afraid,except, just think of the summer.

[Juliachq]

Howdy. Sounds like you can hire your own unskilled labor for $12-15 and get a superstar. Sometimes we get forced into this. Then it's a good change.

If you're paying $100 a day you can likely cash out someone good 3/4 or ft for the same. Through in living and you might find a superstar needs a change of life.

[Noella21 in reply to Juliachq]

I am paying 30.00 an hour to a small private agency. I have been with them for several years. They have been awesome up till now when a number of things beyond their control have happened to get us in this mess. I think I have resolved this. our local Alberta Home care contracts with a large association to do all the home care visits. I have been with them before and dealing with them was very frustrating. However I have held up the white flag of truce and approached them to do all bedtime time care for one hr each evening at 30.00 for the hour. I will stay with my private agency for the day care portion of Mt monthly allotment. The 1800 dollars a month I save at night can go toward more daytime hrs. Hope this makes sense. Also I have asked for a staff team building, training , day to take place in our home so we can get them all on the same page regarding My husbands special needs and get them all doing the transfers etc the same way. Since they are all new it has been very hard for hubby to adapt to all the changes. We let the women try the lift on each other and a bunch of other things like letting them strap each other in the wheelchair van and feel what it is like to sir in the wheelchair and go over bumps railroad tracks and stop suddenly. We practice all things that I feel they need to adjust specific to R s needs. It will be a fun day with some Christmas goodies thrown it. I can't belive how they agreed to it and how apologetic they have been to us for all our problems this month.They are good people I have hopes for positive outcomes to all this.