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Advocating for Quality Care at Home

Hello, my name is M.

I am totally blind 62 years of age, single woman, receiving home health care services from an agency  located in Washington. I have found that the quality of service leaves a lot to be desired, the providers get to the point where they do what ever they want. Complete work early then just set for two or three hours doing nothing but getting the pay from the state. It is an ongoing issue with them going to the store for me and buying what they want with my money, bringing games to work while on my state given time, making telephone calls arranging medical appointments for husbands or just engaging in friendly talk while on my state given hours. One changed where my high blood pressure meds filled without asking nor telling me that they had taken the meds somewhere else another drug store. The provider T. comes in and questions as I am a kid her tone is so offensive, I need respect from this person, I explain to all persons who come to take me to the doctor after having a stroke, I do not want to ride the freeway every time I go to doctors, office even after asking her to get off the freeway she refused. I had a video put in my home which I told my care provider T. she got upset and told me she was going to inform her supervisor at [name of agency] and she did after she talked with M., and being badly informed on the laws and people having videos in their homes, M. called me and I let her know that it is not against the law for me to have a video in my home. I also informed my social worker D. , and when M. contacted her and was told that I was not the only client with a video and she also shared how it was protection for both of us, yet this did not sit well with M.

In September 2010, I received a call from the agency informing me that they will not service me if I keep that video on in my home. I want you to understand the conditions that I am subjected to first; the home health care providers do not have to tell their full name and being totally blind puts me at another total disadvantage, having a video is having a set in my eyes here in my home at all times and puts me on a somewhat equal playing field as I fight for independence and empowerment. I would never say someone has my things not knowing for sure that who took them.

I have asked this agency more than once to send their company policies and rules in a format which I can read with no luck. The first time M. came out to my home she is said to be a supervisor did not even read nor affectively inform me of the all contents of the rules. My social worker Ms. B. came out and read them to me.

This bit that they will not service me because of my choice to have a video is not in their policies and I feel that it is interfering with my civil rights and In violation of the Americans with Disability as far as accommodating me. As I age and live with a disability I have had for 33 years the laws are changing and being developed but very are utilizing them to benefit of those who they are intended for.

It appears that everyone is preaching independence but no one is practicing independence.

I can change agencies but this is not the way to make change and who else is this happening to and they cannot or afraid to speak up. We all know that the abuse of the disable, children and elderly is on the rise, I do not want to become one of them.

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