Memory Care Staff + Sitters - What’s Your Experience?

MCDaughter · August 21

Considering sitters to help with LO calling out and needing more companionship than care staff can give. Several days a weeks I visit for full days, only to find out from staff after I leave that mom winds up calling out, wanting company, pulling at stuff, trying to get out of bed, etc.. Staff tries to talk and soothe a bit…when they go to leave they say, “I gotta’ go…I’ll be right back”…She answers, ”Ok” (then promptly starts calling out again)…this is considered agitation, and…

I’ve had sitters (tried different companies) in a different setting and I got many, many phone calls from mom just wanting me (this is better now and she is good with others), lines of responsibility between sitters and hospital care staff blurred, hospital care staff slacked off on their check-ins, sitters fell asleep overnight and she pull out her IV, messed up her ostomy, carer claimed not to have fallen asleep, overnight nurse said she did…they (sitters) required constant remote oversight and training (many would show up to us as their first day), one had been on his her laptop when another episode of pulling happened, one would be late and other on duty would complain to mom, making her nervous about who was coming, was she going to be alone (in a hospital, mind you)…one abandoned her (again, in a hospital) due to family emergency…but, overall covered mom a lot.

New situation. Can’t pull off 24/7 (minus the days I do), and thinking on the things above. No real pattern to time of day agitation meds are administered so not sure of best time to have sitters.

Day shift has more carers than overnight, of course; and she is often awake then, too.

What are your experiences? Have you tried it (how often), had it fail/work out great? How did the sitter and care staff respond? Did the care staff stop coming in to feed, turn, spend time with and just more a less give a “let me know if you need anything?” type response or did it go well? Any tensions? Most of all, how did the facility care staff report on the change and benefits to your LO? Did you notice a difference in overall alertness and engagement/contentment? Did you notice a change in how much your LO was sleeping on your visits?

Based on what you’ve seen or heard:
With sitters, what can I possibly expect from here? What response might I get from the facility care staff?

Without sitters, what can I possibly expect from here? What response might I get from the facility care staff?

annie51 · August 21

My experience was slightly different in that DH got aggressive toward another resident in MC, which by policy required me to have a few weeks of 100% one-on-one companion until they could make med adjustments and determine if they worked. My DH was ambulatory and walked around the place all the time - it sounds like maybe your mom is bedridden? Anyway, I covered part of the day and hired out the morning and night hours (my DH was up a lot of the night also). I think when there is a one-on-one caregiver (several residents had them) it gave the staff a breather - the carers for my DH worked their butts off most of the time, but if there was a paid companion, they could focus on other residents more fully. I had good and bad companions from the agency I used and they had a portal where I could read the comments they’d write out at the end of their shift. Some wrote very detailed reports, some wrote nothing. I usually asked the staff each day how everything went and they told me which companions they liked. Some of them helped the staff shower him, etc, even though they were not required to. I tried to ask for certain people to be out in the schedule and they tried to accommodate. It got expensive though to cover 24 hours. I don’t know if any of this helps you.
Maybe you could cut down your visit hours so she could better adjust to you not being there? For me, when I was there and the staff had to provide him care, I was kind of a distraction. He focused more on me than on them and what they needed to do. Just a thought. I hope you can make this work out.

Arrowhead · August 22

My wife has been in memory care for almost 3 years and has never had a sitter. The staff on her floor take good care of her. There have been a few who seemed to be more concerned with themselves than with the residents, but most of them have been very competent. I see her almost every afternoon and most of them know my name. They often inform me on how she is doing, whether good or bad. On the few times a larger issue has come up, HR has let me know. Overall, I'm pleased with the level of care she has been given.

Dio · August 22

Not personal experience but many residents at the memory care facility where my DH stayed had personal care sitters, at least those who could afford this level of duo level care. It seems to work well for them, but the care is only as good as the care sitter. I'd suggest discussing with the MCF to see what additional care your LO needs and go from there. It may be trial and error at first until you find the right mix.

Memory Care Staff + Sitters - What’s Your Experience?

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