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Written by: David W. Smith

Published: 15 March 2009

Created: 15 March 2009

Last Updated: 15 March 2009

Lisa Lewis made some good points (“Who holds caregivers responsible,” March 10, Lake County Record-Bee), which is why I would like to respond to those points. She mentioned that she witnessed an “obviously mentally handicapped person, standing next to a person that is supposed to be caring for him” in the casino.

I hope that Lisa “knows” that this person, who was “pulling on the slot machine,” is definitely a “caregiver.” This person may have been a family member, who is taking her/his son out for a change in pace, from the drudgery of staying at home, and the casino may be a way of stimulating her son's emotions. Granted, with all the smoke that fills the casino, it is bad for anyone's health, but as Lisa put it, “there is little to do,” so as a means of entertainment, this may have been this person's way of entertaining both her/his and her/his son.

As for “responsibility,” Lisa needs to be aware that, “as a caregiver,” she “IS” a mandated reporter of any type of abuse, and she should report abuses to the County Adult Protective Services or Child Protective Services. The responsibility starts with the reporting to the county and proceeds, as necessary from there.

Before she makes this type of call, she should make sure that she is fully informed of the situation, because she can also set herself up for a lawsuit. What she witnessed may have been just what I previously mentioned, “a simple entertainment outing.” Another thought, to this situation could have been something that the “client” asked for. I know of clients that want this type of outing, so it's a mutual thing between client and provider.

The bottom line for “responsibility” is in the hands of the caregivers and the county. If Lisa truly cares about the disabled, then she should get more involved. There is a regularly scheduled meeting of a group of individuals for the purpose of advising this county of what things need to be addressed, for the caregivers and the elderly and disabled. This group is called the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Advisory Committee, and Lisa can call the IHSS office in Lower Lake and ask when these meetings are scheduled so that she can attend and participate in making things better in this county.

Another regularly scheduled meeting is for the IHSS providers and their clients, family members, friends and anybody who supports them. This meeting is held at the Mendo-Lake Credit Union, every third Monday of every month, at 6 p.m.

Here's a scenario that I have been trying to get the great people in this county to understand: If the IHSS providers with their union (and the union's resources), coupled with the clients and the county (and the county's resources), all came together with ideas and the willingness to work together, those four groups could come up with ways to make this program the best that it can be. IHSS is the only program, in the nation, of its type. Other states are looking at how California makes this program work, and, depending on how we ALL can work together, we can show the nation, that we can be true leaders.
 
David W. Smith lives in Nice.

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