My Dad’s Caregiver Bumps Into Things…

I have an 88 year old father who needs constant care.  We hired an agent to get some caregivers into his home each day.  That, in itself works out pretty good.  There is one particular nurse who comes in the evening to get my dad ready for bed and I noticed that she bumps into the furniture like she is dizzy.  I decided to keep a good eye on her.  She gets to the house about 5pm and seems energetic and ready for the evening.  Just abut 6:30 I noticed she would go to my dad’s medicine cabinet.  He is on some heavy medication because of his ruptured disc; Oxycontin is what the doctor prescribed.  This nurse would take a few out of his bottle and then I observed she would swallow one shortly after.  I also noted that evening, that she had alcohol on her breath.  I immediately called the agency and they replaced her later that evening.  I know drugs are everywhere these days.  But to have to experience that someone you trusted with your Dad’s well being; doing drugs and booze while they are doing that is very unsettling.  I did hear later that she did get some help and is doing better with her drug problem.  Its funny how we hear about drug abuse and if we don’t see what it is doing to someone first hand we shrug it off.  It is a reality to me now that drugs are a problem and I know something can be done about this problem.