One day, a client and her family had left the house, and left the caregiver with a load of laundry, which was a routine and understood task. The caregiver called the agency. “Zena, the client left a load of coats in the laundry basket. Is it normal to wash coats in the laundry? I wasn’t sure since I am instructed to wash anything in the basket. Is something wrong with the client?” That evening, a family member called the agency. “Zena, the caregiver washed all our coats. Is something wrong with her?” After retracing their actions, the client realized that their anger was unjustified, and that they were to blame. The moral of the story is that there are caregivers who will do what you instruct, but there are also caregivers who will push back and question things. Either situation can result in a good or bad result depending on the client’s expectations. The value of the agency as a third party to mediate, and the value of matching the individual to the client’s way of life is so important. It can minimize your new coat expenses.
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