Between caregivers and care providers
At times, becoming a family caregiver can be isolating, stressful and an emotionally exhausting experience especially if you’re tackling things on your own.
While many could benefit from having a little assistance and tips and tools to support their own well-being there are often concerns related to privacy, security, ongoing reliability and the type of care that might be available. Indeed, accepting the support of a paid care provider, such as a home helper, homemaker or Personal Support Worker (PSW) could mean inviting a stranger into the home, risking a disruption to daily routines, and potentially worrying about leaving a vulnerable relative or friend with someone else.
These overwhelming feelings are very common. Learning to move past them is part of the process to create a new personal or family balance. It’s a journey that involves an experienced care provider learning more about the family and the individual in order to effectively contribute and lessen the burden. However, getting there requires the development of trust built upon a foundation of open communication.
According to Cynthia, a Personal Support Worker and Coach at VHA Home HealthCare, “person and family centred care is the key”. With her guidance, PSWs learn to make sure their clients receive evidence-based, culturally appropriate, and equitable care aligned with their needs. She also works to ensure family members providing care feel comfortable and confident enough to take a step back and relax. What does Cynthia recommend when building these relationships?
Set clear and realistic expectations
Beginning a new relationship with a full discussion of the particular needs of a client helps to lay a foundation of trust by opening up dialogue. Cynthia’s first question after introducing herself is often “How can I assist and support your loved one’s personal care plan?”
As a caregiver, this is your opportunity to discuss unique care plan considerations, preferences, lifestyle etc and your expectations. A new PSW wants to hear what you think, and there’s no better time to tell them than now. It may take some on-the-job familiarization and a few adjustments on the new staff member’s side and patience on your side but after this first step you’re well on your way to success.
Try to be open to change
Often when a PSW steps into the home of a new client, they find themselves speaking with a caregiver who has already established a set way of doing things.
For Cynthia, listening and watching how a caregiver performs various tasks, like washing the client’s hair or preparing meals can help build trust. Experienced PSWs who have been in the role for many years will have cared for many clients and may have recommendations regarding more efficient or comfortable ways complete certain tasks.
Sometimes new ideas can be worth a try. At all times, it’s important for both parties to be receptive to hearing each other out. If your PSW offers a suggestion on how a task could be approached differently, try to be open-minded. Ask them why they feel that approach may be better and if you disagree, help them to understand why. Reviewing things frequently and keeping positive discussions going will help prevent misunderstandings and build trust..
Ask lots of questions
Make sure that you and the support worker share similar understanding of your loved ones’ needs. If you have a question, bring it up, and be open to the PSW doing the same. Cynthia encourages caregivers and PSWs to ask open-ended questions. A question like, “are there any changes or concerns you think I should be aware of?” gives the other person the space to provide a more specific or detailed answer. In Cynthia’s experience, the more discussion there is, the more likely it is that everyone will feel comfortable that they have the information they need.
Practice your active listening
Cynthia recommends repeating back instructions or suggestions. It’s good way to make sure you’ve been heard and that there is a shared understanding. This can increase confidence that the task will be done correctly to everyone’s satisfaction. Introducing new ideas or feedback will likely be most effective, when you’ve already established a positive rapport and have engaged in a positive, reciprocal conversation.
Never forget the power of kindness
We all have days when we experience frustrations, especially when we’re tired. It’s important to remember that the personal support worker in your home spends most days supporting clients in difficult situations. It’s challenging work.
Showing patience and gratitude for their commitment and the dedicated care they provide can go a long way, especially on a tough day.
Ultimately, when building a relationship with your PSW, the two key principles to remember and practice are:
1. Open communication and,
2. Kindness and courtesy. You both deserve the support and respect that comes from developing a healthy working relationship as you create a stronger support network for the person you care for.
Cynthia Matundan and James Foster work at VHA Home HealthCare (VHA), Cynthia as a Personal Support Worker and Coach and James as a Communications Specialist. VHA is a century-old, not-for-profit providing publicly funded home care across Ontario. It’s 3,000 staff deliver personal support, nursing, rehab and community services in Toronto, the GTA, London, Kingston and Ottawa.
Photo: VHA Home HealthCare
