There have been many times when I felt that I needed to advocate for my clients.
In a LTC facility it can be a small thing like ensuring that the client is included in activities, getting their meals on time, getting the correct meal according to their care plan, making sure that their clothes are correctly labeled, ensuring that any devices such as walkers, wheelchairs, hearing aids, glasses, etc. are visible and within reach.
I had a client that was in her own home. I knew there would be challenges from the moment I walked in. Her food was improperly stored, much of it had to be thrown out, she wasn’t happy with me for doing that, but I wasn’t willing to risk her getting a food borne illness.
She had one pot, one knife, one fork and three spoons, I gave her some cutlery from home. She had a few mugs and plates but the dishes were being put back in the cupboards unwashed. Only a few of her lights worked, I had to do laundry using a flashlight and was very worried about her during a power outage.
I reported all of these issues to the agency I worked for and the client’s daughter. My client’s neighbor called the police to do a wellness check and encouraged me to do the same. This would be a conflict with my employer, so I declined. The police had been called several times prior to my shift with the client.
I think advocating for clients, especially if they are vulnerable, or have physical or cognitive challenges, feels normal
I would like hear your experiences with advocating and how you resolved any concerns you had for your client.