The Flakey PCA: How to Deal

I’ve seen PCAs come and go, but never in an incoherent text doubting herself, 15 minutes late into a shift.  “I don’t think I’m a very good person to help you. Sorry. M.” My PCA just quit, and I had no one there to help. GREAT.

The strangeness of this all was that just five minutes earlier she was texting me, letting me know she was looking for a parking spot. Now this? So I replied with a simple “?” after receiving her strange text.

She answers, “My boyfriend just broke up with me” (sent over multiple one word texts). Oh man, I knew right then and there what had just happened. I had unwittingly hired one of the worst types of PCAs out there: The Flakey PCA. And she was one of them. Sad! She had interviewed so well.

By no exaggeration in the least, the Flakey PCA is one of the worst types of PCAs you can hire, and I mean “types” because there really are specific types you’ll run into in this industry. And when you have one of the less than appealing types working for you, it can be quite the stupidly stupid situation for multiple reasons, but lessons can be learned.

• In One Ear, Out the Other: The Flakey PCA will ask you to repeat everything, because they – sadly – never listen. But don’t take it personally. It isn’t likely because they disrespect you because of your disability, it’s because that’s the way they are, and to everyone most likely. A good PCA needs to be a good listener; a huge quality in a solid PCA.

• Things Will Be Left Undone: Since The Flakey PCA doesn’t listen, there are times cares won’t get done because she’ll forget to do them; a predominant danger of not listening to the client. Someone with a stellar memory makes a great PCA and keeps you from worrying about something you shouldn’t have to; following up on cares. This is especially important if the direct client is a child, or an adult who can’t direct them.

• Things Rarely Improve: And if you’re like me, you may think The Flakey PCA can be retrained, and become a great PCA who just needs some polishing up. But with 18+ years of staffing my own PCAs, I can guarantee you this scenario isn’t likely. Since time is of the essence, and let’s face it, life is too short to deal with this when you already have disability stuff to worry about, cut the PCA loose and find yourself The Awesome PCA (who brings you cookies!).

In upcoming blogs I’ll profile other PCAs to watch out for, and helpful tips you can gleam from hiring a non-so-savory PCAs (its ok. We‘ve all done it).

Photo courtesy of David Chartier