Keeping Seniors Safe During Covid-19: New In-Home Care Practices Allow Caregivers To Continue Offering Care And Joy To Local Seniors

Blog  |  June 23, 2020

Seniors have been faced with many challenges due to the Covid-19 virus. 

As we all know, seniors are especially vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus. The extra care seniors have had to take to minimize their risk of infection has meant living with limited access to resources, comforts, and companionship for the past several months. 

The risk of exposure to Covid-19 has left many seniors feeling isolated. 

For seniors living at home, physical distancing has meant that time with family, friends, and the community has been limited or cut-off. The help they relied on to maintain their homes and quality of life has, in many cases, been interrupted. Even in retirement homes which are often a place of community and comfort for seniors, the risk of infection and community spread has meant strict physical distancing practices both for residents and their families ‘on the outside’. 

Families have had to make difficult choices to protect their senior parents and loved ones. The health and safety measures necessary for keeping seniors safe from Covid-19 have helped reduce the risk of infection, but at what cost? Their independence has been compromised and their mental and emotional health has, in many cases, suffered.

Professional In-Home Care offers families and seniors a way forward.

As Ontario opens up and we all adjust to a “new normal”, physical distancing is still the right choice to protect seniors from exposure and infection. Families are looking for ways to support their ageing parents without putting them at risk. One option available is hiring professional in-home caregivers. 

In-home care offers many benefits to seniors living at home, especially during these exceptional times. The care and support of an in-home caregiver like those on the Comfort Keepers Peterborough care team can make a big impact on the life of a senior. Trained in providing professional and compassionate care for seniors, in-home care can fill the gaps created by ongoing physical distancing protocols. 

In-home care varies according to the individual’s needs and can include everything from facilitating digital communication with family members to personal care. Caregivers can even assist with home maintenance, meal preparation, and accompanying seniors to medical appointments. The in-home care offered by Comfort Keepers Peterborough adds greatly to the quality of life for seniors. Facilitating independence and moments of joy is always top of mind for our team. 

Keeping seniors safe with new health and safety practices for in-home care.

As soon as Covid-19 arrived here in Ontario, Comfort Keepers Peterborough has been constantly re-assessing health and safety protocols to keep our seniors and their families safe. Ensuring that seniors receive the physical and emotional support they need without increasing their risk of exposure is our top priority. We want seniors and families to feel confident welcoming our caregivers into their homes. 

Some of new health and safety practices for in-home care include the following

Limiting the number of clients each caregiver supports. 

By increasing our staff, we are able to limit how many clients each caregiver is supporting . Currently our protocol is 1-2 clients per caregiver. 

Increased use of and access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

In an effort to protect both our staff and our clients, we are bringing in complimentary PPE and cleaning products to ALL clients homes if they do not have any on hand. 

Mandatory masks for staff. 

ALL staff wear masks at this time when interacting with clients regardless of distance or health.

Mandatory Covid-19 training

Education is key. Before beginning work at this time, we require all staff to complete Covid-19 training to ensure they are aware of current health and safety recommendations and protocols. 

Screening for symptoms before each in-home visit. 

We require all staff to screen all clients before walking through the door for an in-home visit. Additionally, at the end of each shift we have implemented a mandatory questionnaire to ask about each client’s health

Regular communication with staff and clients. 

We communicate and check in with our staff and clients on a weekly basis. This includes checking on their physical and emotional wellness as well as offering updates on new protocols or health and safety recommendations from the local health authorities. 

We know the joy and comfort in-home care brings to the lives of seniors. Finding a way to continue working with our senior clients during these exceptional times was, and continues to be, very important to the Comfort Keepers Peterborough team.  By following these health and safety practices we have been able to continue providing safe care and companionship to the seniors in our community. 

If you or a senior member of your family would benefit from in-home care, Comfort Keepers Peterborough can help.

The challenges faced by seniors due to the continued presence of Covid-19 continue to affect their physical and emotional well-being. Making choices about care for ageing parents and family members while working to keep them safe can be difficult. The experienced caregivers available through Comfort Keepers Peterborough are here to help. Contact us online or by phone at  (705) 243-4042 today to discuss in-home care for yourself or the senior in your life. 

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