Although Marlyn is very satisfied with the homecare services, last minute cancellations can leave her in a difficult position.

Written testimony

No, the only problem we have with homecare is when somebody can’t come, like either they’re suddenly sick or they’re on holidays, and somebody else has been scheduled in their place. Sometimes, the coordinators that are supposed to be scheduling people don’t get somebody scheduled in their place, so nobody shows up. Or sometimes you’ll get a call last minute saying “We don’t have anybody to come,” and sometimes that’s not a big problem if it means [my husband] has to miss his nap in the afternoon, that’s not the end of the world. But when they phone you at 9 at night to say “we don’t have anybody to come at 10:30 tonight to put you into bed,” well, that is a major problem because it means that [my husband] would have to sit up all night in the basement in his chair, right?

How did you solve those situations?

Well that the one time, they simply couldn’t find anybody, because we really battle them when they phone and say that, and we spell it out to them as to what it means. Normally, they try harder and they can finally find somebody. But one time—well probably more than one time, a couple of times—one time, we had to ask a neighbour, our next-door neighbour, if he could come over and help get [my husband] into bed. Another time, I managed to do it after he got the lift system, which means I don’t have to do the lifting part—of course I can’t really remember how to properly put the sling on him and sometimes it ends up kind of weird, but [my husband is] pretty good at knowing how it’s supposed to go. So between he and I, we sort of fumbled our way through getting the sling on him, and then the lift does the rest getting him onto the bed. I mean, he couldn’t do, he didn’t brush his teeth or do the rest of what he might normally do, but he at least got into bed. But that’s always a worry when I go away—that he’ll get a call like that. And the worst case scenario would be if he had to sit up all night. That would be extremely uncomfortable. So that’s the weak link in the homecare chain. Otherwise, it’s an absolutely incredibly good system.

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More content

• Effects of care recipients’ behaviour -Marlyn
  Maryln noticed that care recipients can get caught up in their own needs and not see the impact they have on the people around them.
• Providing Support – Marlyn
  Marlyn had to find a balance between the physical care her husband required and her own limits in performing these kinds of tasks.
• Resources – Marlyn
  Marlyn strongly suggest that caregivers join a support group: you will find people who understand how you feel.
• Interaction with professionals – Marlyn
  When her doctor told her she needed to start taking holidays, Marlyn found it much easier to take regular respite.
• Home care and live-in caregivers – Marlyn (sound)
  Overall Marlyn has good experiences with the people that come to her home to care for her husband.
• Home care and live-in caregivers – Marlyn
  Although Marlyn is very satisfied with the homecare services, last minute cancellations can leave her in a difficult position.
• Challenging emotions and feelings – Marlyn
  Whereas outsiders might judge you, Marlyn learned that other caregivers understood her frustrations.
• Impact on health – Marlyn
  Two years ago, Marlyn hurt her back helping her husband; she still lives with the effects of the injury.
• The future and caregiving -Marlyn
  Marlyn and her husband designed their home to meet their future needs. She is amazed, however, to see how many things could have been better adapted to her husband's disability.
• Providing support – Marlyn
  Marlyn realises, during the interview, that problem solving is a big part of caregiving.