Guidelines for Attendant Training
You will need to teach your newly hired PCA what you need done in terms of your personal
care, and how he or she can best meet your needs. It is helpful to utilize your self- care checklist when training your PCA. The checklist ensures that you have covered all aspects of your care, breaks down each task into manageable steps, and can be used as a written resource for your caregiver in the future. In order to help your personal care assistant better understand your needs, have a frank discussion about your disability and how it relates to what you can and cannot do for yourself. Encourage your PCA to ask questions throughout the training process and clarify any medical or technical terms as you go along.
Each personal care task (for example - bathing) should be broken down into smaller, manageable steps. Give the PCA instruction on each step and explain why it is important to you that each step be done the way you request. Remember that repetition is the key to learning, therefore, it may take your PCA several attempts before he or she performs the task exactly the way you would like. Encourage your PCA to give you feedback and ask questions. Give positive feedback when your caregiver gets the task right and use humor whenever possible.
Your Relationship with Your PCA
Providing a positive work environment is a key factor in keeping your personal care assistant. Good communication is the key to maintaining any relationship - and your relationship with your caregiver is no exception. It is important to keep communication pathways open. If you sense any problems or misunderstandings with your caregiver, get them out in the open by confronting the issue and discussing it as quickly as possible.
In order to facilitate a positive relationship, you must treat your PCA with respect, and be as flexible as possible. Keep in mind that he or she has responsibilities and commitments outside of providing your personal care. Respect his or her privacy and base your relationship on honesty, mutual respect and open communication.
Giving (and receiving) feedback is an important aspect of the relationship between caregiver and employer. When it becomes necessary to give critical feedback, make it as positive and constructive as possible. Although it can be difficult, give the feedback immediately after your PCA performs the task or exhibits the behavior you are criticizing. Give feedback on only one incident at a time, and provide feedback on the person's actions, not the person. Make sure you use the opportunity to help your PCA do the job more effectively rather than launching a personal attack. After giving critical feedback, be sure to clarify how you would like the task performed or the situation handled in the future.
Your style of communication can also be an important factor in maintaining a comfortable working relationship with your caregiver. Utilizing an assertive rather than an aggressive style will foster open communication. An assertive person is open to feedback from others, is direct and gives clear messages. The assertive individual is also honest with him or herself and also with others. Aggressive behavior does not show consideration for the feelings of others and tends to shut down the lines of communication.
Your lifestyle may differ from that of your personal care assistant. You may have differences of opinion over something as minor as which television programs or music you prefer, or over major issues such as smoking, drug and/or alcohol use. Consider your tolerance level for such behavior and make your stand clear. If you do not want someone to smoke in your home, for example, ask your PCA to smoke outside. Do not allow drinking or drug use to interfere with your PCA's ability to meet your needs and perform the job.
In order to provide an optimal working environment for your PCA and foster a positive relationship, there are several things to keep in mind when you interact with your caregiver. You do need to establish your position as employer as soon as possible to ensure that your needs will be met in the manner that you would like. However, keep in mind that the job of providing personal care is not easy, and try not to be too demanding. It is important to be kind and courteous when you ask for assistance. When communicating your needs try putting yourself in your caregiver's place, and think about how you would want someone to talk to you. It is upsetting to be taken for granted, so try to show your appreciation by thanking your PCA.
Being organized will benefit yourself as well as your attendant. Make a list of the tasks you need to have done each day of the week. This makes the best use of the time you have with your caregiver and forces you to anticipate your future needs in terms of daily activities and errands. Think about things like grocery and errand needs - which day you plan on shopping and when. Do you need assistance with your laundry and when does it need to be done? Are you able to do your bowel program in the evening so as to lighten up the morning activities? When you organize your needs and prepare for the week, you communicate respect for your PCA's time, and both of you are likely to get more done with the time you have together.
Unfortunately, it is possible that the person you selected to be your caregiver may not actually be a good match for you or is unable to meet your needs for whatever reason. If this is the case, it is always preferable to part ways on the best possible terms, as you may want to use your PCA as a back-up caregiver in the future (if the circumstances allow). Make sure your PCA returns your housekey and any other personal effects. Get a forwarding address and phone number if possible, in case you need to contact him or her in the future.
Whether your caregiver is terminated or leaves for his or her own reasons, you will once again need to start the process of finding someone to provide your care. It is preferable to start this process while your PCA is still with you. However, this is not always possible, as many times, the caregiver leaves with little or no notice. This is why it is important to have back-up care in place. Hopefully, the knowledge gained through the experience of hiring and managing your first PCA will make the process of finding a replacement caregiver easier.
