Direct Care Workers You too “Must Meet Halfway”

This blog has been used to discuss the importance of respect for direct care workers, (DCW).  Whether its a DCW in a group living program or a CNA in a nursing home, their very job description and some of the unpleasantness that comes with it demands that they be supported with quality training and ongoing encouragement along with counsel that refines and polishes their skill level.  However, none of this means that direct care staff, especially in group home environments do not have a part to play in your own development.

This is especially true in smaller environments where everyone must rise daily to contribute to the home’s ongoing success.  So before a direct care workers says “I am not a good cook” ask yourself how many times have you gone to www.youtube.com and watched a video on cooking a meatloaf?  During down time in the home are you watching The View or Rachel Ray or the Food Network so you can watch healthy dishes being prepared which you can in-turn make for your residents?  What have you done or are doing to demonstrate real initiative?

Its easy to say “I am not a real computer person” but how many employers will tolerate you long-term when you cannot correspond via email with efficiency including from your cellular telephone?

How easy is it to read a manual, ask a coworker for help, spend time with our children who may be more in-touch with electronics or just take the time to explore certain features of electronic communications.  The excuse, “I am not savvy in this area” is  not a long-term basis for rejecting the necessity of understanding a task and no responsible employer will tolerate it for long.

So while it is true we want to give direct care staff tons of support, they too have to meet us halfway.

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