Miscommunication

As senior citizens and other users we have been given by the DHB the privilege of one hour’s home help to help us stay in our homes for as long as possible.

The help may consist of vacuuming, help with dressing, showering, medication etc. Various organisations are licensed to run these programmes and provide their clients with the help required.

Where it often falls apart is a lack of communication between the client, management and the carer when break-downs in instructions occur.

Sometimes there are language barriers, very little training for staff and carers resulting in misunderstandings all around especially for the client.

For example the time for an appointment may suddenly change due to staffing problems but the client is not always told of this and neither management nor the carer advise the client of this change.

Therefore the client is put into a stressful situation wondering what has happened that their carer does not turn up at the appointed time.

It is also sometimes assumed that because we are mostly in the older age bracket we are not recognised as having a useful life anymore and have all the time in the world.

If the agency stuffs up it really should not worry us? Wrong!

Many of us live busy lives as volunteers to many charitable organisations.

When our appointment time changes and we are not advised this has a trickle down effect to all those places we are serving for we have our own appointments to honour.

The one hour that we are given to help us cope is magic to us because it helps all the others cope by us being free to serve.

It really would be great if those agencies that are helping us would improve their standards to set a better example for all concerned. Lyn Harre, Hamilton