2012 Letter To My Elective Officials

Once a year I try to send a letter out to my elected officials. With all going on and the grid lock between the political party.

I like take a bit of your time to write to you on “home-care” which is part of medicaid-health and welfare. I'm only pick 3 area that should be put out on the table.

1. Medical Appointment
2. Over time for those projects
3. Remaining on healthy or developing health habits

I have first to say the medicaid nurses who comes out and does the interview with the client actual is pretty right on with hours the clients needs.

1. But when it comes to medical appointment I've taken client to a medical appointment and the medical persons is running late for some reason.

Or they send us off for some test.

Then there are time our assign hours are done and we're working off the clock and not getting our hourly wage. In simple term we're being force to work off the clock

If we're out of the area and our assign hours our use up. One couldn't just leave a handicap or disable person stranded.

My suggestion would be...Have a simple form that someone at each medical place sign the arrival and departure time.

Then send it in with our regular progress note and time slips.

I would guess each month do to medical appointments I'll be 1 to 6 hours a month over my a assign hours. After the assigned hours we're not getting paid.

2. I have to say the medicaid-nurse who interviews the clients are pretty right on for a fair amount of time given per clients needs.

But it wouldn't hurt or be helpful if there was way to have a little extra time for those extra project. I think 1 to 12 hours a year. Client could apply to medicaid for certain extra project like washing walls, shampooing carpets, taking there pet to the vet, clean out a closet, extra shopping and getting ready for different holidays.

The client would have the optional on how he or she see fit to use these hours...They could be use up in one day or spread out though the year.

3. This here is hardest one I believe “Remaining on healthy or developing healthy habits”or should we say having better choices in one life.

I like to give you a brief picture when a possible clients sends me to the store...A shopping list may consist something like this. Box of rocky road ice cream, 2 cases of diet lime flavor of coke, 3 bags of doritos, 2 pounds of ground beef, pkg of hot dogs, philly cheese hot pockets, dozen doughnuts, 6 apples, head lettuce, gallon of milk, case water, carton of cigarettes, and a 6 pack of beer.

First of all everything except the beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets can be bought with food stamps or on ebt food card. The other stuff can be taken off the cash side of there ebt card.

I don't want to sound like I have no emphatic for these people or letting them have a few pleasure in life.

But there is plenty who could improve.

I would suggest the client and those around he or she to set mini goals. To be complete in 3 months or if they don't complete over 75% of set goal. If they don't met it....start cutting there benefits back to zero. If they met there goal let say cut there care only be cut 15 minutes at a time.

And or give them something a little extra such a little extra on the quest card , gift certificate or even cash

Every 3 months a new goal will be sat and client must keep all past goal that been set.

Last of all those who change and start living a healthy life and is still disabled or handicap can be guarantee a care-giver for 8 hours a week.

I heard on National Public Radio that we are classify as companion workers and thought there should be no time limits

It true we as care-giver work very hard and the three area above would improve the quality of care for those who needs it.

As worker in home-care field I like you to consider things I mention above.

Editor Note...This is a copy of letter I've send to some of my elective officials...still need to send some more out.