Finding and Hiring Quality Attendants

Workshop Goals

• Determine Your Attendant Needs• Recruit Attendants• Create Hiring Agreements &

Dismissal Criteria• Create Prevention Strategies for

Emergencies & Critical Incidents• Maintain Health

Your Attendant Needs

Develop a Tasks Check List

• Be clear and specific about your needs

• Describe how often and how long each task will take

• Include personal care, homemaker and skilled needs

Sample Tasks Check ListTask How Often

Transferring 4 times a day/ 5 min per transfer

Bathing 4 days a wk/ 45 min per bath

Dressing 7 times a wk/ 15 min each

Bladder Care 2 times in A.M/ 7 days a wk/ 10 min each

Bowel Care 3 times a wk/ 1 hour each

Grooming 7 times a wk/ 15 min each

Range of Motion 4 days per wk/ 30 min each

Prepare breakfast and clean up 7 times per wk/ 40 min per meal

Benefits of Using a Check List

• Determines how many hours per day you will need support staff

• Shows everything that needs to be done

• Useful tool when interviewing• Helps with developing a budget for

CDAS

Recruit Attendants

How Many Support Staff

• Hire more than one support staff• Plan for backup• Recruit support staff on an on-

going basis

Create a Job Description from Task List

• Include: - a list of skills, education (if any) and experience you want

- hours and times required - range of salary - duties - any other requirements

Sample Job Description – Personal AttendantDuties:

The person in this position will assist the employer with activities of daily living. The employer is a 25 year-old man who has a physical disability, lives in his own apartment and uses a wheelchair. Specific activities include assistance with bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, toileting (includes bladder and bowel), eating, transferring to and from the wheelchair, taking medications, and range of motion exercises. The position also involves meal preparation, housekeeping, shopping, laundry and other household chores. The position requires a valid Driver’s License.

Education and Experience:Some experience providing attendant services in the home of a person with a disability is helpful.

Salary Range:$8.50 to $11.50 an hour depending upon experience.

Hours: 2 hours a day in the early morning, typically 6:00 to 8:00 am, and some weekend hours.

Other Requirements:The person selected should be prompt, reliable, able to work independently, and have good personal hygiene. The person selected must submit to a criminal background check.

Where to Recruit

• Family, friends, neighbors, churches, your immediate community

• Medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics

• Colleges, universities, and technical schools

• Colorado workforce centers• Newspapers both local and regional• On-line job search engine

Sample Ads• RELIABLE AIDE/ATTENDANT

Weekend (Friday-Saturday) work opportunity for strong, reliable, energetic person willing to learn new skills. Provide personal care and supportive assistance for two busy professionals with physical disabilities. Duties include lifting, bathing, dressing, feeding, cooking, cleaning, accompanying to social events, etc. May include some (optional) travel. Will train. E-mail responses preferred myemail@writeme.comor call 303 555-6666.

• PERSONAL CARE WORKERNonsmoker needed to work with adult female with severe disabilities, assist with personal care, laundry and housekeeping. Days negotiable. $9 an hour; some benefits available. Call (719) 123-4567 or send email to: myemail@cybermail.com

Screen Applicants and Interview

Screening Applicants

• Follow non-discrimination laws, federal and state employment laws

• Screen over phone or in person• Ask questions to help decide if the

applicant meets your needs• Look for experience, education,

and work history

Sample Screening Questions• Are you at least 16 years of age?• Do you have a Social Security number?• I need someone to work weekends from 8-10 am.

Are you available? • Do you like and/or are you allergic to animals? (If

you have animals)• Do you mind working in a smoke-free

environment?, or • Do you mind working in a smoking environment?• What transportation do you use to get to work and

is it reliable?• Do you have experience providing attendant

services? Are you comfortable assisting adults in bathing, toileting, and dressing?

• Do you have any limitations or restrictions regarding lifting weight?

Interview GuidelinesBE PREPARED• Plan your interview and questions• Write attendant guidelines• Decide where and how the interview will

happen• Hold them at a time you are least likely to

be interrupted• Comply with non-discrimination

requirements• Request that they bring a copy of a picture

ID, social security card, and work references to the interview and review the originals

Interview Guidelines (cont.)

• Be frank, clear, and matter of fact about tasks involved

• Notice not only what the person says, but how they say it

• Get complete application, references, CBI form, I-9 immigration form

• Check references before offering position

Sample Interview Questions• What jobs have you had in the past?

• How did you feel about those jobs? What did you like/ not like?

• Why do you want this job?• How would you describe your work

ethic? Dependability?• What work environment do you like?• Are you a multi-tasker?• What do you see will be your biggest

challenge working with me if you get this position?

Create Hiring or Provider Agreement and Dismissal

Criteria

Information about Hiring/Provider Agreement

• Benefits of having a hiring agreement

• What to include

Sample Hiring/Provider Agreement

1. Wages: a. Chris will begin work at $9.00 an hourb. After 3 months of satisfactory work, Chris will receive a $.25/hr raise. c. further raise increases will be based on quarterly performance evaluations

2. Benefits:a. If Chris is injured on the job, worker’s compensation is available.

3. Services: a. Assist Kelly up and out of bedb. Assist Kelly to shower or take a bath, based on preferencec. Assist with grooming and dressingd. Prepare Kelly’s breakfast and lunch for Kelly to have later

Sample Hiring/Provider Agreement (cont.)

f. Wash dishes every other visitg. Perform light housekeeping as requested by Kellyh. Assist Kelly with toileting as necessaryi. Assist Kelly with medications as necessary

j. Check Kelly’s skin condition as requested by Kelly4. Work Schedule:

a. Chris will work for Kelly Monday through Thursday from 6:00 am until 8:30 am beginning on November 4. b. Chris will work Saturday and Sunday mornings, 7:30 to 10:00 am beginning on November 2.c. If Kelly needs to make a change in the schedule, Kelly and Chris will discuss the change at least 24 hours in advance.

5. Working Conditions: a. If Chris feels he is becoming ill he will wear a mask while at workb. Chris will not come to work smelling like cigarette smoke

Dismissal

• Most common grounds for dismissal

• Immediate grounds for dismissal• Things to think about before

dismissal

Create Prevention Strategies for

Emergencies and Incidents

Prevention Strategies

• Plan your backup care• Prepare for community-wide

disasters• Complete a health care emergency

form and train your staff on how and when to use it

• Minimize your risk of theft• Recognize and prevent abuse

Maintain Health

Health Maintenance

• Staying in good health• Be open and frank about your

needs• Explain different types of health

maintenance activities you require• Quality care = good health

Questions?