Getting the right service provider and workers

Getting started

If you are new to attendant care the process for getting attendant care can include:

• Discussion with your case manager about attendant care options
• Discussion with attendant care providers to choose the most appropriate attendant care provider
• An initial meeting with your case manager & the attendant care provider
• Selection and recruitment of attendant care workers by the attendant care provider (in some situations the attendant care provider may not have the staff you require and will recruit new staff)
• Orientation of staff by the attendant care provider
• Introducing the attendant care workers to you and you orienting them and getting to know them
• Working on goals together – you and the attendant care workers
• Monitoring, reviewing and improving the work.               

Changing workers

From time to time workers are likely to change.  Workers have holidays, get sick, change jobs and are re-rostered to fit in with other clients.

When workers have to change a good process is:

• The attendant care provider notifies you of a change.
• The new worker is introduced to you.
• The new worker works a buddy shift with an existing worker and the new worker is orientated to your goals, needs and what practically has to be done.

Changing and/or adding service providers

Sometimes you may need to change and/or add service providers. 

It is possible that you are happy with your existing service provider but they cannot meet all your needs so you keep your current provider and get a second service provider to fill gaps.

It’s possible that you are not happy with your existing service provider and want to change to a better one.

Getting an additional service provider

If you are getting an additional service provider:

• Discuss options with your case manager.
• Discuss options with your existing service provider.
• Confirm that the two service providers have good communication channels so they can coordinate their respective services as needed.

Looking for a new service provider

If you are looking for a new service provider:

• Discuss options with your case manager.
• Provide feedback to your existing service provider about what you were not happy with – in the long run your feedback might help the service provider improve its services for other clients.
• Be very clear what you are now looking for so that you are well placed to choose a new provider you think can better meet your needs.
• Meet with relevant attendant care providers to choose the most appropriate provider.

 

The ongoing work

The process for the ongoing work is:

The attendant care process includes:

• Introducing new attendant care workers to you (and your family members)
• Building engagement and rapport between you and your workers
• Reaching mutual understanding - between you and the worker
• Doing the work together - its team work
• Working on achieving goals - to build or maintain your independence
• Monitoring and reviewing the work - to see how its going and how it can be improved.

From time to time workers are likely to change.  Workers have holidays, get sick, change jobs and are re-rostered to fit in with other clients. You may also want a change of worker.

 

 

 

The right provider

You may like to ask potential attendant care providers the following questions:

• Tell me about your company and the experience it has? 
• What qualifications and experience do your attendant care workers have? 
• Do you have attendant care workers who are experienced working with people with similar needs to mine? 
• What are your emergency procedures? For example what after hours contacts are available? 
• Can you provide registered nursing services, e.g.: changing my catheter? 
• How will I be involved in selecting the attendant care workers who will be working with me? 
• What are the working hours? For example what is the latest or earliest time an attendant care worker can come to my home? 
• If I, or a member of my family, have a problem with an attendant care worker, what should I do? 
• How long will it take before the service starts? 
• Are attendant care workers able to assist with shopping or leisure activities? 
• Are there other clients or families who I can contact as referees?

 

The right worker

When you are interviewing new attendant care workers some questions you might ask are:

• Have you worked with other people with brain / spinal cord injury?
• What are some of the practical skills you bring?
• What are professional boundaries and why are they important?
• If the attendant care work is not going well who would you contact?

Some thinks you might talk about are:

• Your goals
• What support you need to achieve your goals
• What skills you need the worker to have to support you in working towards the goals
• Your cultural background (and how if affects the way you and/or your family like to do things).
• Other things the worker needs to know about you or your family to work with you in the best way possible.