Home Care During Covid-19

It is worrying to have someone in your home who is not part of your Covid-free pod. However, there are ways to reduce risk and have your loved one cared for safely in the comfort of home. At Philia, we are very cautious and want to have optimal outcomes for our clients. Therefore, we have enacted strict Covid policies to keep our Clients and Caregivers safe.



Our Precautions to Mitigate Risk


We have a policy asking our Caregivers to follow safe Covid practices while both working and not working with Philia. 


When a caregiver accepts an assignment, they must verbally answer the following questions.


  • Do you or any of your household members have any signs of illness? 
  • Do you agree to wear a mask at all times while working for Philia? 
  • Do you agree to immediately inform the office should you or any household members begin to exhibit any signs of illness? 



Again, when we send the caregiver the information about the job, they must confirm the assignment and they must confirm:

  • By confirming this job, you agree that you or any of your household members do not have symptoms of illness including coughing, chills, fever or lack of the ability to smell/ taste. You agree that should you or any household members become sick, no matter how minor, you will immediately inform the office.
  • By confirming this job, you agree to wear a mask at all times while working for Philia.


With each electronic clock in, the caregiver again must answer these 2 questions.

  • Do you have any symptoms of illness?
  • Have you been exposed to Covid?




Paid Leave Incentive to Stay Home While Sick


Should a caregiver have the slightest symptoms of illness, they are required to stay home. Philia offers paid leave so that the caregivers do not feel pressured to work while possibly ill. Moreover, we are being generous with our paid leave to cover people who are Covid positive or caring for a Covid positive family member. Not many home care agencies provide paid leave and Caregivers may feel economically pressured to work with mild symptoms of illness.




Sanitation in the home


We train our caregivers in proper sanitation techniques in the home. You are welcome to download this informational sheet from the CDC on sanitation in the home.  

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html

We ask that you have plenty of disinfectant supplies in the home.




Home Care vs. Residential Care


To reduce risk of getting Covid, one must reduce the number of people with whom we come in contact and the people who we are in contact with, must also reduce the number with whom they are in contact. This hard to control in a residential care facility. In the facility, a Caregiver is caring for many people, so the exposure is greater. With Home Care, there is a one on one relationship, which reduces the exposure to the Caregiver and ultimately, the Client.


FAQ's

  • Do you test your caregivers at the start of care? Or do you test periodically?

    We do not test our caregivers at the start of care or on a periodic basis.  In many cases, care is needed quickly and tests results are taking at least several days to a week to be received. Meanwhile, they could become positive at any time after testing and could provide a false sense of security. Our caregivers must always take precautions to prevent the spread of Covid. 

  • Will you care for my loved one who has COVID?

    Yes, we will care for people who are Covid positive. We require that the Caregiver wears adequate PPE to include a surgical gown, face shield, mask and gloves. Philia keeps an adequate supply of these. We would also require the client to wear a mask.

  • What if a Caregiver becomes ill while caring for my loved one?

    If a Caregiver has even the slightest symptoms of illness, we ask that they stay home. If they develop an illness, even as slight as a cold, we require that they stay home until they are tested negative for Covid. Philia can always provide a back up Caregiver.

  • Are your caregivers vaccinated?

    Yes, all Philia caregivers are fully vaccinated to keep you loved ones safe.