More Changes.

I've just spoken to my Father's caregiver, who gave me some disturbing news. The nice couple that takes care of Dad - who replaced the last nice couple that took care of Dad - have left. Apparently, they had some sort of emergency and had to go back to the state they moved here from. I have no details, but I'm really not happy about it. It's not easy for Dad to adjust to new things or people, and I can only guess that this is going to be really hard for him.

I felt that Dad really liked the first couple who cared for him, and I could really tell when they left that it affected him. His behavior was different and it seemed as if he missed them; especially their little girl. I don't know exactly what caused them to leave, either, but it doesn't strike me as the hardest job to leave. The hours are crappy, the money isn't great, and the rewards are few. We don't pay our caregivers nearly enough for the jobs we ask them to do.

We ask these people to care for our ill loved ones because we cannot or will not. We ask them to feed, amuse, bathe, and toilet loved ones that can no longer do these things for themselves; and we pay them minimum wage to do it. They work long hours, are run off their feet, and perform boring, repetitive tasks. It's true that bad things, and bad people, happen...but for the most part, these are good people doing a hard job.

I'm so sad for my Dad, that he has to get used to new people again. I'm going to go over there in a day or two and meet them myself - and I'm sure they'll be very nice and competent. I really hope if they're good, however, they stick around for a long time so my Father doesn't have to go through the stress again. Until we treat, and pay, these people how they're worth, however, I won't be surprised at a high turn over. Caregivers do the most important job in the world - caring for our loved ones - and I hope we as a nation finally realize that.