Ann Bilyeu, Grayling, MI, mother of 8, began DCW work 18 years ago at an eight-bed adult foster care home for persons with mental illness. It was a challenging beginning but she thought of it as an adventure. She now prefers one-on-one home care and says she will never give it up. In her off hours, Ann loves gardening, being in her home deep in the woods with her animals and family, and stargazing.
Ann says the job is demanding and a big responsibility. “It involves feces, urine, vomit, turning people that are three times bigger than you are, changing a bed with the client in it, cooking, cleaning, helping someone who’s at end of life and trying to do your best to take care of the person with family there asking questions, and making life or death decisions. There’s so much expected of you.” For all of this, her job title is “homemaker” which she detests. She calls herself a “very hardworking caregiver”.
When asked how to recruit and retain more DCWs, Ann says training, training, training is critical. She has solid recommendations for agencies and policy makers. Test for critical thinking in common situations DCWs face. More pay. More respect. Management training and support. To young people considering DCW work as a profession, she says, “Talk to others. Find out the worst of it, the best of it. Give quality, compassionate care and demand respect.”