What do you expect from your aides? I know they are expected to help with light house work but I find very few offer to do this.

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What do you expect from your aides? I know they are expected to help with light house work but I find very few offer to do this.

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Take good care of spouse. The one that showers him does not pick up shower afterwards. Also, even though I bought facemask and have requested a few times that they wear them when helping him directly, one of the caregivers still forgets. Should I say something again, or contact the agency and let them handle it?

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I put a little card on our front door saying 'Face Masks Required'. It reminds our caregivers and others coming into our home to have their mask on, and saves us from the awkward situation of having to mention it. It protects everyone.

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I would certainly expect aid to pick up towels etc. after shower, but not heavy cleaning. I would expect garbage cans in moms room, moms bath and kitchen to be emptied. Mine also vaccums moms room. changes sheets on moms bed, leaves towels, sheets in laundry room, I do laundry. Puts dirty dishes in DW, empties DW.

I would expect aid to wear mask if provided.

I don't consider any of this micro-managing, but I do think it should be discussed with agency.

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We have check sheets provided by the agency where the aides have to check off what they've done and sign, also put in the hours they worked. I'm really surprised the agency doesn't require aides to wear masks, and provide the masks to them, along with gloves. It's a Covid disaster waiting to happen to have people in your home without masks, who are likely going into other people's homes. The agency should make sure the aides are following infection control procedures, washing their hands, etc. Our agency is charging us an extra $3 per week for protective equipment. We are extremely fortunate in the two aides we have, who go way above and beyond in their "light" housekeeping. At a minimum you should expect them to clean up in the bathroom, change your husband's bed and tidy up the bedroom, etc. Doing some laundry might be expected, e.g. your husband's towels and sheets, your husbands clothes. How much the aides have time to do really depends on your husband's needs and how much hands on care or attention they need to provide to him; my husband doesn't need a lot, so our aides, who like to be busy, end up doing a lot more housekeeping, along with helping him shower, shave, and dress, take walks with him outside, and get him meals and snacks. I'd actually try speaking with the agency first, not in any accusatory way, just to clarify what they communicated to the aides in terms of expectations. If there's been mis-communicaton, best to get it cleared up right away. I'd definitely talk to the agency about the masks; they should be providing them and making sure the aides wear them

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Thanks all for your help. No I do not micromanage as I hate to ask them to do anything. The agency has a list of light housekeeping and one aid asked if they were my request, I said no that is the agency's request. I have contacted the agency about wearing mask they had human relations go over it with the one aid.
I did buy a box of mask, have rubber gloves and hand sanitizer. I think I'll just forget it other than request mask, again, that she put on mask when helping him directly.
The agency does check on how they are doing once in awhile and I usually say fine. There is changes sometimes so when that happens I will request that the agency go over with them requirements a little bit better. I have a separate housekeeper once a month.

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When assessment was made for care what was included in the need for care? I would expect that once the client is bathed that the aide would pick up the bathroom and not leave it for others to do, what if the client lived alone who would pick up then?

You need to draw the line in the sand over the mask. They either wear it or they do not come in! Notify the agency they are hired through that they are not following CDC guidelines. I have had to report two aides to two different agencies and both were given disciplinary action for not following procedures. It is not up to you to provide the PPE for them it is up to the agency they work for. These agencies have been given loans, grants and rate increases to cover the cost of providing masks, gloves, gowns, etc.

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The duties should have been clearly communicated when you signed the contract. Light housework is standard. I would have a talk with the caregiver first and see how they respond. If they don’t improve then bring it up with the agency.

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I worked for a local Visiting Nurse Assoc as a secretary. We had a client that was able to get in home help. (We didn't supply aides) His wife complained that the aide did not do dishes or laundry, etc. My boss told her the aide was for her husband not her. If he lived alone, then the aide would be responsible for cleaning up and doing a little housekeeping and his laundry. But because there was someone living there, vacuming , family laundry and washing family dishes were not her responsibility. Her responsibility was anything that was done for the client. If she made breakfast and lunch, then yes she cleaned up. But washing dishes left over from the night before from the family was not her responsibility. Cleaning up after bathing, aides responsibility. Changing of soiled sheets and washing them, aides responsibility. Cleaning up any messes left by client while on duty, aides job. If they do more, great, but their only responsibility is to the client. The one problem our clients aide had with laundry was that it was an apartment and the washing facility was an attached building at the end of the row of apts.

If you want a facemask worn then they need to wear one. You may have to provide it but u have a right to ask that one be worn. Contact the agency and see what their criteria is.

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Do you hire them through an agency? Does the agency give you a contract of what to expect?
Quite honestly it is up to you to write out what they expect on any given visit, assigning priority in the time given. At the time they are doing housekeeping and cooking and shopping of course they are NOT caring for the elder you have hired them to help.
As to the mask that is CRITICAL and must be reported. They are out in the world and can bring covid into your home. That is something that must be addressed.

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The mask is a no-brainer. He should walk up to your house wearing a mask and wear it 100% of the time he is there. That alone is a huge red flag. Agency should be told. Also he should go directly to the bathroom and wash his hands when he gets there.
He absolutely should pick up after the shower. He sounds lazy to me.
Fire him.

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Swanalaka and My2Cents nailed it. As a former agency owner, I held my caregivers to high standards and wanted to know if clients were unhappy. If clients were unreasonable, we also had our caregiver's backs. Transparency is key.

Housekeeping, picking up after a shower, cleaning the kitchen after meal prep is a reasonable expectation and should be part of the plan of care. In this time of COVID, not wearing a mask is unacceptable.

The agency and the caregivers should be responsible and accountable.

What do you expect from your aides? I know they are expected to help with light house work but I find very few offer to do this.

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