What To Expect
There is comprehensive hands-on training where Dr. Rytter and experienced staff will show you several times how to do a majority of the job duties. You will have a chance to practice these new skills in the presence of the experienced person. One of the most important things to remember is that making mistakes is how we learn. This is a fact of life. It is also important to know that you will learn a lot of little steps to be able to perform the job duties, which makes training very doable. Training is paid.
Here is a video Dr. Rytter made with helpful tips for your training.
Dr. Rytter's day shifts tend to be the busiest but still at a peaceful pace; giving Dr. Rytter a hand with getting up in the morning, showering, getting dressed, having breakfast, and the like.
After breakfast, she may choose to work on her series of novels, do a different writing project, create the monthly staffing schedule, or email her friends and colleagues independently using her eye gaze communication system. As she does these things, you are in earshot and ready to assist her with any physical needs that she may have. During these quiet times, you will be of assistance by doing light housework, ordering things for Dr. Rytter, preparing easy meals, doing cat care, or/and working on a project that she may give you.
Sometimes, she goes to appointments, runs errands, or goes shopping and/or visiting people in person or through Skype. You will provide Dr. Rytter with physical support with these tasks. Dr. Rytter needs a hand with toileting and eating throughout the day.
Although this may sound like a lot, it actually is quite doable, especially because Dr. Rytter does physical things slowly due to her disability that affects only her muscle coordination. However her mind works incredibly fast.
The evenings typically are even mellower; helping Dr. Rytter have dinner, setting her up to work independently for a few hours, and doing some kind of leisure activity as well as giving her a snack before bed. Once again, you will have quiet tasks to do while she is doing her own things.
There will be times when Dr. Rytter won't have a live-in staff. For those times, she will pay staff to do an overnight shift; 11pm-7am or 8am. The position has all of the duties as the live-in position. Since you can sleep when Dr. Rytter is OK and safe in bed, Dr. Rytter pays the minimum wage. Doing the overnights is a great way to supplement your income.
Structure of the shifts
By having a general structure of every shift, some of the job duties and expectations are clearer. Also, the work is more evenly spread among everyone. It is important to remember that staff accompanies me on outings, so they may do fewer household chores during some shifts. When this occurs, the other staff will need to do more chores in stride, knowing your co-co-workers will do the same when you are out with me.
Briefly acknowledge the staff currently on shift. Otherwise, they can become defended.
Arriving five minutes early allows you to get situated with your scrubs on and ready to work right when the shift change occurs.
Put your personal items, including clothes, books, papers, pens, and the like, in the on-duty staff bin. This helps curb any desire to do your own thing when you first come to work. Take this time to put your food and/or non-alcoholic drink in the refrigerator.
You need to check in on the time clock right at the time when shift change occurs.
At shift change, find me and tell me you are here and see if I need anything, unless it is the morning and I am in bed. HOWEVER the overnight staff needs to check in with me.
a. This interchange should be very brief unless I want to talk.
b. If a staff is in the middle of helping me, take over if you possibly can, so they can check out on time.
c. If I need your help with something, do it then.
d. Briefly tell me your plan for the next hour or so.
e. If you will be out of earshot, you need to set the baby monitor up.
If I don't need anything directly from you, grab your shift clipboard and start doing your shift chores until I need your assistance. Look on chore charts and around the house for things to do. These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself when checking if everything is thoroughly done.
a. Is anything in the cat boxes?
b. Can I wipe down anything?
c. Can I dust anything?
d. Do the floors need to be swept or mopped or vacuumed?
e. Is everything arranged how Kristin likes it?
f. Is there a full load of laundry to do?
g. When were Kristin's sheets washed last?
h. Can I do anything to prepare for later, such as squares, re-blending food, making blended food, and putting sheets on Kristin's bed?
i. Are the microwave and refrigerator dirty at all?
j. Are all of the glass surfaces clean?
When you first come to work, you should expect to do household chores and/or projects for at least an hour every shift if you aren't busy helping me all shift. You always can find things to do that are in your realm of liberty.
a. Please, try to finish what you have started. For example, if you put my clothes in the washer, you should dry them, fold them, and put them away.
b. If you don't finish a household task, please let the next staff know this, so they can complete the task.
c. Although doing household chores is vital, my needs and wants come first.
After you spend an adequate amount of time doing housework, you can do quiet non-device related activities, such as reading actual books, knitting, playing solitaire, drawing, studying, and playing with my cats.
a. HOWEVER, you need to do these things in earshot of me to help when I call. When you can't see and/or hear me easily from where I want to sit, set up the baby monitor. Remember that you should not see what I am writing on my eye gaze communication system. This is private.
b. After you have finished as many shift chores as you can for the moment, you can take a break, but you must still be responsive to me.
c. Downtime is not for lounging or napping, so you shouldn't make yourself really comfortable. Please, keep your feet on the floor and not on my furniture and walls. Keeping your shoes on is professional and safer for you.
i. Downtime should be used to do employee enhancement activities.
ii. You having downtime doesn't mean that you are done doing chores. You need to do them throughout your shift. For example, every time after I eat, you need to wash and put away the feeding supplies, and wipe down the counters. I am not a germ freak, but I want my home nice and neat.
At the end of your shift, The following things are expected.
a. Tidy up. If there are unwashed dishes, wash them, especially if you used them yourself. If there are blankets and pillows in a disarray, put them where they belong. These things take only a minute, but it shows your co-workers and me respect while keeping morale up.
b. Inform the incoming staff of any tasks that need to be finished, such as laundry or putting sheets on my bed.
c. Change back in your own clothes.
d. Quickly check in with me to let me know you are leaving and when you are working next. It doesn't matter if I am working; I still can hear you.
e. Check out on the time clock.