People simply want to know is if in home care is safe during the coronavirus?
The answer is yes!
All home care agencies like JANCARE should be reviewing the current and new COVID-19 protocols constantly to ensure that their patients remain in the safest care possible.
There are many people who are completely dependent on in-home care and it’s up to not only your home care agency but your trained caregiver to ensure everyone’s safety.
We understand that people are scared and the last thing that anyone wants is for either themselves or their loved ones to become infected.
There is a silver lining to all of this and that’s the fact the we already live with many diseases and have learned to protect ourselves from them.
Viruses like the measles, influenza, etc. are still around us till this day and our goal, if attempts to eliminate the virus fails, is to figure out how to safely live with COVID-19 in the twenty-first century.
To understand how to defend against the virus it’s important to know just how dangerous it is.
How Dangerous Is The Coronavirus?
If we’re looking at history, the Coronavirus is seen as the worst global pandemic since the Spanish Flu in 1918 which was over a hundred years ago!
That’s scary considering all the advances we’ve made in science to prevent ourselves from getting sick in the first place.
At the same time those advances in science has also allowed us to develop a vaccine in record time to protect ourselves from the virus as well.
Is having the COVID-19 vaccine enough?
The answer to that is a tricky one that the CDC has been continuously tackling since the launch of the COVID-19 vaccine because of various reasons.
One reason is the fact that the coronavirus continues to evolve and become even more contagious than the original COVID-19 strain. That’s why it’s more important than ever to reinforce our COVID protocols and learn to live with COVID-19 pandemic as an endemic disease.
How Is Your Home Care Agency Protecting You?
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Live-In or Hourly Care - Get care at the times you need it most to live comfortable and safely within their home.
Alzheimer & Dementia Care - Our unique approach helps your loved one remain safe and calm in the comfort of their home.
Specialty Care - Our program is all about improving patient care and reducing medical risks by managing health conditions.
See How My Agency Can Help Your Loved One With Personalized Loving Care Today
Live-In or Hourly Care - Get care at the times you need it most to live comfortable and safely within their home.
Alzheimer & Dementia Care - Our unique approach helps your loved one remain safe and calm in the comfort of their home.
Specialty Care - Our program is all about improving patient care and reducing medical risks by managing health conditions.
As a home care agency being managed by licensed R.N. Janice Green, we’ve been able to implement not only hospital protocols but also COVID safety protocols as well.
Having a licensed medical professional has its perks of pre-built protocols already to combat COVID before there was a COVID-19 protocol in place.
For home care agencies or caregivers who want more insight into how to properly proceed with establishing guidelines we recommend referring to the infection prevention and control (IPC) practices.
Also refer to the Interim Guidance on Testing Healthcare Personnel for SARS-CoV-2 for any questions on testing.
Is Your Home Suitable For Home Care?
Just because you want in-home care doesn’t mean you can or should get it without your home being properly assessed for care according to your local and state health department.
With the consideration of COVID-19 your home care professional should be considering things like:
- Patient being stable enough for in-home care.
- Dedicated bedroom or space where the patient can remain safe or recover without sharing immediate space with others.
- There should be a dedicated bathroom on site and if not the one you do have should be thoroughly disinfected after each use.
- Resources to food and other necessities are available.
- The patient and household members are able to adhere to precautions recommended for home care or isolation.
Consult a medical professional or home care agency with a medical professional on staff to ensure all of the precautionary steps needed to be taken are done and met.
At this point you’re probably wondering what steps are being taken and what can you do to ensure you or your loved ones safety and we recommend some of the following:
Get Vaccinated
You should keep in mind that outside of your home care agency protecting you that you should consider one of the three COVID-19 vaccines; Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
Getting a vaccine decreases the risks of infection or death and for those who refuse to be vaccinated should continue to follow the covid-19 protocols.
Now although many people recover from the COVID disease, there is a group of several thousand people called long haulers, who are left with various symptoms even after tests prove the virus is no longer present in the body. The most common signs and symptoms for long haulers are gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, brain fog, and shortness of breath with minimal activity.
According to Med Page’s research, which was completed on a small sample group, long haulers that received the vaccine had improved symptoms by at least 27 percent.
At JANCARE Private Health Services, we not only encourage you to get vaccinated but our owner leads by example in getting vaccinated herself.
Wear A Mask
Wearing a mask helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection if you are aged 2 or older.
Even if you are fully vaccinated but have a condition that weakens your immune system, you should continue to wear a mask in order to keep yourself protected.
Social Distance
Do your best to maintain a minimum of 6 feet apart for people who don’t live in your household.
Remember that small respiratory droplets are created when someone talks, coughs or sneezes and distancing yourself from others can reduce the risk of infection.
Monitor Your Health
Keeping a close eye on your health by keeping track of anything that doesn’t seem normal is vital to your well being.
You should also be able to identify symptoms to COVID-19 so that you know when to seek medical attention, such as:
- Mild coughs
- Trouble breathing
- A fever
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
Although this isn’t a complete list of all the symptoms it is some of most common ones. Be sure to consult with your medical provider if there’s a chance that you might have the virus.
Tips For Managing COVID At Home
If you think you are sick or if there’s a sick person with COVID-19, dial 911 and explain your symptoms in detail as clearly as possible.
To care for yourself and to protect the people in your home and community, stay home!
If it’s possible, have the sick person stay in a separate bedroom and bathroom and above all else avoid close contact.
In case you didn’t already know the coronavirus can be spread through small respiratory droplets, created when someone talks, coughs or sneezes.
This is why staying 6 feet apart was announced as one of the early COVID protocols because it helps to prevent the spread of the virus.
A sick person with COVID-19 and mild symptoms can recover at home without medical care but shouldn’t leave their home, except to get medical care and do not visit any public areas.
Public areas include public transportation, taxis or any ride sharing environments.
Get rest and stay hydrated while taking over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.
If you do need to be in public wear a mask and consult the COVID-19 protocols for some of the best safety precautions.
Find Qualified Home Care Today
Now more than ever we’re at a time where we must be especially careful and think carefully about the care we get for ourselves and/or loved ones.
Although we can’t speak for other home care agencies we do urge you to be as informed as possible and consult with one that has medical professionals on staff.
Our goal is safe patient care and we will continue to follow COVID-19 prevention strategies as well as additional safety protocols to ensure you or your loved is careful for with the best of care.
JANCARE Private Health Services prides itself on providing compassionate and comprehensive care in the comfort of your own home. You can trust that our care is delivered with loving hands.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and get your loved one the support they need.