I think I may be about to volunteer to speak before the state legislature's "Long Term Care Commitee" on Friday. We're once again trying to convince them to increase funding for staff/caregiver compensation. Regional Director asked me to think about doing so. She suggested that a personal story would make our point most vividly. But I don't know exactly what kind of story she means. I know I want the 5% increase not because I need a raise (I want one, sure...), but because I need my coworkers to feel valued and respected. I don't think state legislators want to hear about my coworkers whining to me. I can make that point better just by saying it.

Go, you! Protip: they probably don't really know what you do all day, not really. Admittedly, I live in the stupidest state in America, but mostly what they see is that number looking pretty big on the budget...put some verbs and a face on those issues. Think of msbelle's cheer for ita and "Be specific!" Don't be afraid to yank heartstrings if you think you can stand it.(Also, be prepared for lame leg anecdotes about a neighbor boy who wasn't right, or the like.)

For some reason, the main anecdote I can think of to illustrate why it is helpful to have experienced staff who stick around is this one: One evening as we were helping people prepare for bed, my cute little nineteen year old coworker came to me, dreadfully afraid. She said, "We have to call the nurse. I think C. swallowed the sponge end of the swab with mouthwash on it."

So I grabbed a glove, and said, "Well, first thing the nurse is going to say is, 'Do a finger sweep of C.'s mouth.'" A finger sweep yielded up an intact sponge which C. had pocketed in her cheek. Other results included C.'s smirk when I asked if she was just deviling poor young coworker.

Not sure how well that would translate. Especially the grin. Best grin ever. But that tells a lot about the difference between seasoned and less experienced staff. I love the fresh energy of new coworkers, but there is something priceless about the years I have with the people I serve - years of walking through their lives with them, years of knowing and caring for them. Years of confidence in my ability to handle challenging behavior, so that people can work through their emotions safely. Years of being able to say, "Something is just not right about that one's health," and advocating for thorough care from their doctors.

I suppose I could go with something like, "Here is how I spent my work day yesterday: Get up early, go to a session with a dietician to ensure that the menus I write are consistent with the health needs of the people I serve. Taking that knowlege, I sit down with people and ask what meals they'd like to have. Then when it is time to prepare supper, one person likes to sit nearby - sometimes she will add ingredients, and take a turn stirring. More often she prefers quality control testing. She'll tell me if something is too sweet, too sour, needs more celery - and has great ideas for what fruit to put in a fruit salad. Another person will microwave the veggies. Another might make the whole meal with a little encouragement. Then while we are waiting for supper to cook, we break out the cards - Uno, Skip-bo, Rummy, Garbage. After supper, we all scramble to clean up and maybe someone wants to run to the store, or to the Y, or Special Olympics practice (whatever sport is in season). Or maybe someone has a date, or choir practice, or a craft class, and I have the privilege of accompanying them. Then people hop in the bath - (can I do my joke about renting a convertable so we can go through the car wash with the top down? probably not). Some people need just a reminder to wash. Some people need more assistance. And then I break out my singing voice because it is time to brush teeth. It takes me two minutes to sing "I Know An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly", so that's how long we brush. Two verses of "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor" is how long to swish mouth wash. Shaving, medications, laundry, hit the sack and get ready to face tomorrow.

Not sure how well that would translate. Especially the grin. Best grin ever. But that tells a lot about the difference between seasoned and less experienced staff. I love the fresh energy of new coworkers, but there is something priceless about the years I have with the people I serve - years of walking through their lives with them, years of knowing and caring for them. Years of confidence in my ability to handle challenging behavior, so that people can work through their emotions safely. Years of being able to say, "Something is just not right about that one's health," and advocating for thorough care from their doctors.

I think you could use a fair bit of that paragraph right there!

I think you could use a fair bit of that paragraph right there!

Agreed!

Windsparrow, good luck! It is a good thing you're doing.

My plan for today was to just rest up and try to feel better, but I have actually gotten a lot done in terms e-mails and phone calls. My cholesterol was a little higher than normal on my blood work yesterday, which is probably because most of the food I have actually been able to eat are not necessarily the healthiest foods, but hopefully as I'm having better days I can start eating healthier as well.

Cute story alert! I was talking to H yesterday and apparently G (the little boy I used to babysit for) really wants me to have a boy because he wants a brother. Isn't that just too adorable that he is thinking of ltc in terms of a sibling?

Andi, I used to do the work you do. I lasted 2.5 years and burned out. If you ever wonder if anyone really understands what you do and appreciates you, be assured that I do! You're a rare and admirable person.

I'm leaping over 350 posts that I hope to come back to at some point, for this FYI that maybe, maybe would be helpful to someone else. So I hurt my hip last June, by moving a quarter ton of rock from Point A to Point B 40 feet away in the morning, crawling around under my house checking the foundation and moving visquene up in the afternoon, and then jumping in my car the next morning and driving about 400-500 miles to Ashland, OR, in my car that doesn't have cruise control. I was crippled by the time I got there. It didn't ruin my vacation in Oregon, but it persisted. For the last ::mumble:: months, there was a clicking of bones in my hip when I walked, and I couldn't stand on my right leg alone to do any yoga poses or exercise routines.

So in addition to yoga and gentle exercise, doing this 5-6 days per week, I added swimming, and the key ingredient. Seeing an osteopath who came highly recommended by my sister, who factured some vertabrae in a car accident. She'd told me ages ago that this O Doc helped her more than anyone else. Well, I think she's helping me more than anything else, although of course the yoga and swimming are helping it all. It's sort of like chiro, except gentler. There's massaging of bones going on, and always some head stuff. Two of my right ribs were out of place, my hip was out of place. It took awhile, but!! As of the last session with her, I can do standing tree poses in yoga now, and walk up stairs without my R hip hurting at every step and the bones in my hip don't click with every step any more. It's amazing. All of it together of course makes it hard to pinpoint one, but I think the osteo stuff is the key, and others are supportive.

Here's what might be helpful to others? The osteopathy thing has an element about moving/freeing up the bones in the head. Apparently they are not completely fused, they still have some motility. She ends each session with some kind of osteo voodoo massage on the bones of my head and it's the oddest thing.... it feels like something is happening, that there is a release or something going on. It doesn't hurt, it kind of feels good, if strange. I asked her if anyone ever sees her for migraines, and she said yes, and that it can be helpful. So fyi for what it's worth.

You should go, WS. I agree with erika, they probably have no idea what you really do. And you are so articulate about what you do and why it's important.

Looking up local osteopaths now. Thanks, Javacat.