The household located in New Mexico is the residence of the family for which I work. In the fall of 2016, I was hired as a caregiver for the matriarch of the family, an elder with Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia. My main responsibilities involve caring for the elder within various levels that are specifically designed and prescribed for an older person with Alzheimer’s. The lessons I have learned about myself are many-faceted on a profoundly personal level. The lessons I have learned about the business of caregiving cover a wide range of experiential knowledge that is general for the elderly and more specific for the proper caregiving for an elder with Alzheimer’s. I intend to use the knowledge gleaned from my experience with the aforementioned household for the basis of my sole proprietorship or personally owned business called April Cares. In a beautiful home in New Mexico, I have many responsibilities.
The first responsibility for all caregivers is giving notice two weeks before the first of each month concerning any changes in one’s schedule. The manager, the head of the household, creates the schedule for the month. She is very strict about communicating any changes well in advance. She is very strict about employees being on time. I always arrive ten minutes early and do not expect that time to be calculated as part of my pay. I always leave ten minutes after I check out and do not expect that time to be calculated as part of my pay. All caregivers must go through a litany of things that have been accomplished during their shift. Each caregiver must communicate those things that have not been accomplished during their shift. Some caregivers arrive right on the dot. I have learned that if I allow myself this space as a cushion of time, then all runs smoothly. I now know and expect that some of the other caregivers do not arrive early and stay late. Yet, the responsibility to share is there. So, I have gotten into this habit of arriving a little early and staying a little late.
April Cares 