Today I was scheduled to pick up a client and drive her to a physio appointment. I showed up and she was in a bit of a panic. The CCAC PSW that was supposed to be there to look after her husband who has Alzheimer's never showed up.
So, the 3 of us got into my car and I drove her to the physio appointment. I stayed in the waiting room with her husband.
I have to tell you that my appreciation for PSWs grew exponentially today.
I was only with this man for an hour and about 20 minutes in I was totally exhausted. PSWs are on the front line doing this type of work all day, every day.
How do they do it? Why are they getting paid the same rate as the person serving me coffee? Why are people hiring companies that do not employee PSWs as drivers?
I don't want to mislead anyone. I am not a PSW, but I was quickly on the phone to the head of my PSWs with a million questions about how I should properly handle the situation.
Could you imagine if this family had hired a traditional taxi or van service? I guess the physio appointment would have had to be cancelled or worse. I don't even want to start thinking about the possible outcomes.
There are many reasons why PSWs should be hired for senior specific transportation and this should be reason #1.
We never know when there will be unplanned schedule changes or emergencies. Wouldn't you want the person showing up at your loved one's door to be properly trained and prepared to handle these situations. I know I wouldn't trust my loved ones to anything less.
Take It Easy Personal Concierge Inc.
Take It Easy
About Take It Easy Home Care
- Take It Easy Personal Concierge
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Take It Easy Personal Concierge is Toronto's premier luxury boutique concierge firm. We don't just run a business, we actively work to help our clients understand the true value of time. Our goal is to improve lives, have fun and rock out on a daily basis.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
A different side of the Healthy Home Tax Credit
I need to voice a little concern that I have regarding the new Healthy Home Tax Credit, which was recently brought to light by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
To some extent, I am happy that seniors will receive a tax credit for adding "independent living" aides to their homes. I think this is a good strategy to foster continued independent living for many seniors, and it may help them more easily manage their fixed income budgets.
Dalton McGuinty, and the press, seem to be focusing on the issue that this tax credit will create many new jobs. Creating jobs is something that is much needed in today's economy, but it creates the concern in me which I mentioned earlier.
Back in 2007, I created Take It Easy Personal Concierge, a concierge company based in Toronto. I set out to help bring time back to those who needed it, not really knowing, in those early days, who my target audience would be. After being in business for only a couple of months, my phone started ringing with requests from seniors. Hence, the senior division of my concierge service was born. My parents run a private early learning school in Toronto and I have grown up hearing stories about the myriad of regulations that they need to meet during their annual licensing inspections. I thought for sure that if my parents' school was bound by a thick book of regulations to help children, then I would need to follow a thousand rules to help seniors. I started researching and was shocked when I realized that I didn't need anything. To this day there are no regulations in place for private senior care companies.
With the demand increasing for "independent living" aides in senior homes, due to this new tax credit, will our seniors' be put more at risk? How do we know who is going into our seniors' homes to install these products? Are there any standards for these products? What questions should we ask when choosing a company of this kind? Where do we go if we have questions about specific companies? Is it solely up to the families/caregivers to protect their beloved seniors, or will the government step in?
I find myself thinking of those news stories you hear occasionally about seniors who have been taken advantage of by service providers. If there is going to be a new wave of independent living aide service providers, then I am sure we need to set some sort of standards for protection.
My 95-year-old grandmother currently lives in a long-term care facility, but if she was living alone and thinking of installing some items to help her remain in her home, I would be quite concerned about the people coming in to help.
Frequently, I get a phone call from somebody looking for information about starting a new senior care company. They only have questions about price. What should they charge? This worries me. Are these people only going into the business to make money? What about their desire to help seniors live a more independent life?
I presently sit on the board of the Ontario Personal Support Workers Association (www.opswa.com) as their Community Initiative leader. I strive daily to shed some light on the scariness that our beloved seniors are not being adequately protected. As a senior company I constantly am working to better standards throughout the industry. Will it make my job harder? my business more difficult to operate? Sure, but that's life when you're in business.
If you are as passionate about bringing some sort of regulations into place to protect our vulnerable seniors, please sign my petition.
To some extent, I am happy that seniors will receive a tax credit for adding "independent living" aides to their homes. I think this is a good strategy to foster continued independent living for many seniors, and it may help them more easily manage their fixed income budgets.
Dalton McGuinty, and the press, seem to be focusing on the issue that this tax credit will create many new jobs. Creating jobs is something that is much needed in today's economy, but it creates the concern in me which I mentioned earlier.
Back in 2007, I created Take It Easy Personal Concierge, a concierge company based in Toronto. I set out to help bring time back to those who needed it, not really knowing, in those early days, who my target audience would be. After being in business for only a couple of months, my phone started ringing with requests from seniors. Hence, the senior division of my concierge service was born. My parents run a private early learning school in Toronto and I have grown up hearing stories about the myriad of regulations that they need to meet during their annual licensing inspections. I thought for sure that if my parents' school was bound by a thick book of regulations to help children, then I would need to follow a thousand rules to help seniors. I started researching and was shocked when I realized that I didn't need anything. To this day there are no regulations in place for private senior care companies.
With the demand increasing for "independent living" aides in senior homes, due to this new tax credit, will our seniors' be put more at risk? How do we know who is going into our seniors' homes to install these products? Are there any standards for these products? What questions should we ask when choosing a company of this kind? Where do we go if we have questions about specific companies? Is it solely up to the families/caregivers to protect their beloved seniors, or will the government step in?
I find myself thinking of those news stories you hear occasionally about seniors who have been taken advantage of by service providers. If there is going to be a new wave of independent living aide service providers, then I am sure we need to set some sort of standards for protection.
My 95-year-old grandmother currently lives in a long-term care facility, but if she was living alone and thinking of installing some items to help her remain in her home, I would be quite concerned about the people coming in to help.
Frequently, I get a phone call from somebody looking for information about starting a new senior care company. They only have questions about price. What should they charge? This worries me. Are these people only going into the business to make money? What about their desire to help seniors live a more independent life?
I presently sit on the board of the Ontario Personal Support Workers Association (www.opswa.com) as their Community Initiative leader. I strive daily to shed some light on the scariness that our beloved seniors are not being adequately protected. As a senior company I constantly am working to better standards throughout the industry. Will it make my job harder? my business more difficult to operate? Sure, but that's life when you're in business.
If you are as passionate about bringing some sort of regulations into place to protect our vulnerable seniors, please sign my petition.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Journey to Regulations, Continued ... Finally
Over the summer months we have all been busy. Cottages, parties, camp ... Did your plans include your elderly loved ones? Did you read all those newsletters and publications on keeping your elders comfortable and safe in the heat?
I, personally, relied heavily on the fabulous Personal Support Workers that work with my beloved 95 year old grandmother to keep her safe and comfortable.
This got me thinking, are the private home care workers you hired up to date on their training? Who is making the standard of how often they should be re-trained? Did their school train them properly? Have standards changed since they were last certified? Whose to know?
If there were regulations on private home care we would have easy resources to answer all these questions. We would be assured that those looking after our elders are doing the best job possible. There would be a governing body that sets high standards that all Personal Support Workers and Personal Support Worker Organizations operating privately would have to abide by.
Someone told me recently, that Canadians are uneasy about paying for any form of health care. I guess it's because we are used to getting most of it for free. If the government supplied us with adequate resources then, perhaps, we wouldn't need to look elsewhere. Those who do are being punished by the government turning a blind eye on what is really happening out there. Does this mean that the ones that do pay for these services should suffer? I don't agree. Private day-cares are regulated. Why are our children protected but the elders are not?
Until this day comes, The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association is a wonderful resource for all those unanswered questions. http://www.opswa.com/
I've said it before and I'm going to say it again. When you hire an electrician you ask for their accreditation ... so please, when you hire a home care organization or private support worker ask to see their accreditation.
Take It Easy Home Care Inc. will continue to fight for regulations. If you support us ... please sign the petition. http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982.html
I, personally, relied heavily on the fabulous Personal Support Workers that work with my beloved 95 year old grandmother to keep her safe and comfortable.
This got me thinking, are the private home care workers you hired up to date on their training? Who is making the standard of how often they should be re-trained? Did their school train them properly? Have standards changed since they were last certified? Whose to know?
If there were regulations on private home care we would have easy resources to answer all these questions. We would be assured that those looking after our elders are doing the best job possible. There would be a governing body that sets high standards that all Personal Support Workers and Personal Support Worker Organizations operating privately would have to abide by.
Someone told me recently, that Canadians are uneasy about paying for any form of health care. I guess it's because we are used to getting most of it for free. If the government supplied us with adequate resources then, perhaps, we wouldn't need to look elsewhere. Those who do are being punished by the government turning a blind eye on what is really happening out there. Does this mean that the ones that do pay for these services should suffer? I don't agree. Private day-cares are regulated. Why are our children protected but the elders are not?
Until this day comes, The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association is a wonderful resource for all those unanswered questions. http://www.opswa.com/
I've said it before and I'm going to say it again. When you hire an electrician you ask for their accreditation ... so please, when you hire a home care organization or private support worker ask to see their accreditation.
Take It Easy Home Care Inc. will continue to fight for regulations. If you support us ... please sign the petition. http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982.html
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Where do we go from here?
Do you ever have those moments when you have so many ideas that you feel stuck.
You don't know where to start, you don't know what to try to accomplish at this precise moment.
I am having one of those months ... maybe year!
I know that regulating private senior care in Ontario is my primary goal. This blog started out as my journey to regulating this sector of our health care system ... then I got stuck.
A great business coach once told me to put my ideas in a "parking lot" - whether that is a book, a blog, a task in Outlook, etc. I've been doing this for months now and my parking lot is so huge I need to start moving some cars around.
My first goal, or car if you will, is to start where I left off.
I need to find which states have regulated senior care. I need to find out the statistics about how this is working compared to the ones that do not have the regulations.
Stay tuned for my results ...
In the meantime, if you are as passionate about helping in the process of regulating private senior care in Ontario, please sign my petition. http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982.html
You don't know where to start, you don't know what to try to accomplish at this precise moment.
I am having one of those months ... maybe year!
I know that regulating private senior care in Ontario is my primary goal. This blog started out as my journey to regulating this sector of our health care system ... then I got stuck.
A great business coach once told me to put my ideas in a "parking lot" - whether that is a book, a blog, a task in Outlook, etc. I've been doing this for months now and my parking lot is so huge I need to start moving some cars around.
My first goal, or car if you will, is to start where I left off.
I need to find which states have regulated senior care. I need to find out the statistics about how this is working compared to the ones that do not have the regulations.
Stay tuned for my results ...
In the meantime, if you are as passionate about helping in the process of regulating private senior care in Ontario, please sign my petition. http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982.html
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Ontario ... A tiny step closer to my goal
Do you hire a registered electrician, plumber, mechanic, dietitian? Then why wouldn't you hire a registered Personal Support Worker?
"Ontario is looking to continue helping those who need assistance with daily living tasks. The province is creating a registry for Ontario Personal Support Workers who work in long-term care homes and in private homes to help those with disabilities and complex health needs." simcoe.com
The province of British Columbia created a registry in January 2010, by September 2010 over 33,000 Personal Support Workers had registered.
To me, that is a clear sign that the Personal Support Workers or Health Care Aides of British Columbia are passionate about what they do and are on-board with this registry. "By creating a central registry for all care aides and community health workers working in BC, the Ministry of Health Services is establishing and improving standards of care in the care aide and community health worker occupations. The registry was also created to serve and protect vulnerable patients, residents and clients receiving care in publicly funded health care facilities." http://www.cachwr.bc.ca/
My only hope is that Ontario's Personal Support Workers will shine and have just as high numbers, if not higher.
This is a huge step in my quest to regulate private senior care. Why? Because the Personal Support Workers, the front line workers for the senior care industry, are now being forced to be regulated. HUGE!
As an employer, can you imagine the comfort that can be taken in hiring from a registered list?
As a concerned child, spouse, friend, can you imagine the comfort in knowing that the organization you have chosen to take care of your loved one is forced to only hire Personal Support Workers from a registry?
The next step in my mind is to take this registry and make it front page news. We can also build on it, use it as a stepping stone, for our quest to regulate the private senior care industry.
If you feel as passionate about improving senior care regulations in Ontario as I do, please sign my petition - http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982/signatures.html
"Ontario is looking to continue helping those who need assistance with daily living tasks. The province is creating a registry for Ontario Personal Support Workers who work in long-term care homes and in private homes to help those with disabilities and complex health needs." simcoe.com
The province of British Columbia created a registry in January 2010, by September 2010 over 33,000 Personal Support Workers had registered.
To me, that is a clear sign that the Personal Support Workers or Health Care Aides of British Columbia are passionate about what they do and are on-board with this registry. "By creating a central registry for all care aides and community health workers working in BC, the Ministry of Health Services is establishing and improving standards of care in the care aide and community health worker occupations. The registry was also created to serve and protect vulnerable patients, residents and clients receiving care in publicly funded health care facilities." http://www.cachwr.bc.ca/
My only hope is that Ontario's Personal Support Workers will shine and have just as high numbers, if not higher.
This is a huge step in my quest to regulate private senior care. Why? Because the Personal Support Workers, the front line workers for the senior care industry, are now being forced to be regulated. HUGE!
As an employer, can you imagine the comfort that can be taken in hiring from a registered list?
As a concerned child, spouse, friend, can you imagine the comfort in knowing that the organization you have chosen to take care of your loved one is forced to only hire Personal Support Workers from a registry?
The next step in my mind is to take this registry and make it front page news. We can also build on it, use it as a stepping stone, for our quest to regulate the private senior care industry.
If you feel as passionate about improving senior care regulations in Ontario as I do, please sign my petition - http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982/signatures.html
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Hiring a Personal Support Worker - Pt. 2
In my endless task of improving senior care in Ontario, one client at a time, I have finally hired another Personal Support Worker to join my team.
This specific lady comes to me as a member of The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association www.opswa.ca
Regular readers of my blog have heard me sing the praises of OPSWA countless times.
"OPSWA was created out of necessity and want. PSWs all over Ontario wanted a professional association they could call their own.
OPSWA is that Professional Association. It is run by a board of directors and an advisory committee. All who are dedicated to Personal Support Workers in Ontario and making a difference for everyone."
Why is this significant to my hiring process?
First, members of an association automatically stand out and have a leg up on the competition. Think about it - if an individual has taken the time and money to join a specific association, then don't you think that individual will be more committed to the job at hand. I certainly do!
I, personally, am a member of many associations and organizations. This is not just because it looks good at the bottom of my email signature, but because it shows my clients and potential clients that I have taken the time and money to be part of a bigger body - to be part of an important team.
Second, I know that my new staff member is now held accountable, not just by my company policies, but also by the policies of OPSWA. I have been told that I have some of the strictest company policies in Ontario. Why? Would you want somebody caring for your loved one, on the most personal level, with slack policies? So, if my staff are following my specific governing rules in addition to the governing rules of the association that they took time to join, then I feel more than comfortable representing my company as one of the best in Ontario.
Third, members of OPSWA are just more professional, plain and simple.
One of my biggest complaints while trying to hire personal support workers, is the lack of professionalism within the industry. As mentioned in my last blog, I believe this starts at the beginning, during the schooling stage. Professionalism is not taught in the curriculum, but it is sure part of OPSWA! Members of OPSWA come to the interview with a well organized binder of all their credentials, extra schooling, awards, etc. They are also dressed professionally and know how to answer those tough questions. This specific new hire also took the time to send me a "Thank You" card (I have never had this happen before!)
You may be asking yourself, why is this important or relevant to regulations of private home care? Easy - if it was mandatory, due to the regulations, that all private home care organizations only hire members of an association, then don't you think that home care would drastically improve? I sure do!
So the question I leave you with is this ... Why are employers not pushing for all of their staff to be part of this association? I'm jumping on board, are you?
If you feel as passionate about improving senior care regulations in Ontario as I do, please sign my petition - http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982/signatures.html
This specific lady comes to me as a member of The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association www.opswa.ca
Regular readers of my blog have heard me sing the praises of OPSWA countless times.
"OPSWA was created out of necessity and want. PSWs all over Ontario wanted a professional association they could call their own.
OPSWA is that Professional Association. It is run by a board of directors and an advisory committee. All who are dedicated to Personal Support Workers in Ontario and making a difference for everyone."
Why is this significant to my hiring process?
First, members of an association automatically stand out and have a leg up on the competition. Think about it - if an individual has taken the time and money to join a specific association, then don't you think that individual will be more committed to the job at hand. I certainly do!
I, personally, am a member of many associations and organizations. This is not just because it looks good at the bottom of my email signature, but because it shows my clients and potential clients that I have taken the time and money to be part of a bigger body - to be part of an important team.
Second, I know that my new staff member is now held accountable, not just by my company policies, but also by the policies of OPSWA. I have been told that I have some of the strictest company policies in Ontario. Why? Would you want somebody caring for your loved one, on the most personal level, with slack policies? So, if my staff are following my specific governing rules in addition to the governing rules of the association that they took time to join, then I feel more than comfortable representing my company as one of the best in Ontario.
Third, members of OPSWA are just more professional, plain and simple.
One of my biggest complaints while trying to hire personal support workers, is the lack of professionalism within the industry. As mentioned in my last blog, I believe this starts at the beginning, during the schooling stage. Professionalism is not taught in the curriculum, but it is sure part of OPSWA! Members of OPSWA come to the interview with a well organized binder of all their credentials, extra schooling, awards, etc. They are also dressed professionally and know how to answer those tough questions. This specific new hire also took the time to send me a "Thank You" card (I have never had this happen before!)
You may be asking yourself, why is this important or relevant to regulations of private home care? Easy - if it was mandatory, due to the regulations, that all private home care organizations only hire members of an association, then don't you think that home care would drastically improve? I sure do!
So the question I leave you with is this ... Why are employers not pushing for all of their staff to be part of this association? I'm jumping on board, are you?
If you feel as passionate about improving senior care regulations in Ontario as I do, please sign my petition - http://www.gopetition.com/petition/30982/signatures.html
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Hiring a Personal Support Worker - Pt. 1
March 1, 2011
I am in the process of hiring a personal support worker to join my team. A process that I must say I have never really enjoyed. This is for a number of reasons.
The first being the pool in which I get to pick my candidates. This said pool is quite large, all be it the quality of the water is mighty poor.
Why?
Well, there are no regulations for course curriculum. Private Ontario Colleges are offering PSW courses - "Pay $10,000.00 and get your diploma in 3 months!". Community colleges offer the same program but it takes a year to finish. These particular courses usually entail at least 6 months of field placement.
I don't know about you, but I want the person who is looking after my loved one to have as much experience as possible, not just a certificate on a piece of paper.
Ridiculously below average training goes in the LONG list of reasons why the senior service industry needs to be regulated.
I am pushing for the private sector but we can all see that the educational level (the bare root of all our PSWs) needs to be fixed.
The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association is fighting to support just this problem. www.opswa.ca
I think we should all gather together and SCREAM for regulations ... everywhere in this sector of health care.
If it is not for our loved ones, then maybe it is for yourself. We will all be in the position of needing care one day. I don't know about you, but call me selfish, I want the best available care out there.
I am in the process of hiring a personal support worker to join my team. A process that I must say I have never really enjoyed. This is for a number of reasons.
The first being the pool in which I get to pick my candidates. This said pool is quite large, all be it the quality of the water is mighty poor.
Why?
Well, there are no regulations for course curriculum. Private Ontario Colleges are offering PSW courses - "Pay $10,000.00 and get your diploma in 3 months!". Community colleges offer the same program but it takes a year to finish. These particular courses usually entail at least 6 months of field placement.
I don't know about you, but I want the person who is looking after my loved one to have as much experience as possible, not just a certificate on a piece of paper.
Ridiculously below average training goes in the LONG list of reasons why the senior service industry needs to be regulated.
I am pushing for the private sector but we can all see that the educational level (the bare root of all our PSWs) needs to be fixed.
The Ontario Personal Support Worker Association is fighting to support just this problem. www.opswa.ca
I think we should all gather together and SCREAM for regulations ... everywhere in this sector of health care.
If it is not for our loved ones, then maybe it is for yourself. We will all be in the position of needing care one day. I don't know about you, but call me selfish, I want the best available care out there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)