COVID has affected all of us in one way or another. You may know someone who got it and died, or got it and was able to fight it off. The other way it has affected a lot of the working force is for much of 2020, business’s shut down. In the Home Health/Private Duty business, clients were declining care for fear of someone bringing the virus into their home. New private duty clients were far and few between for the same reason.
Most doctors offices were closed, although later, some started telehealth visits. That helped with medication refills and overall check ins, however, in a telehealth visit you can’t truly see how the patient is functioning. How is their gate? (Are they able to walk steadily, if not, why?) Are there any bruises from a fall on their body? If it wasn’t on their face, the doctor wouldn’t be able to see it. Telehealth is a way to get patients seen for medication refills, or if they need to talk to the doctor about an issue they are having, but in person allows for a more accurate diagnosis.
Truth about Vaccinated Caregivers
The number one question that we get asked now is, do you have vaccinated aides? The COVID-19 vaccine has provided a sense of security for many around the world. Especially the senior population who were at higher risk of getting the virus and not fighting it off, and their family members who worry about them. We understand that the fear is still there. Having a vaccinated caregiver can make clients and families feel more at ease. Here is the reality:
We have several caregivers that have the COVID-19 vaccine, and several that don’t. We absolutely can’t make the caregivers get vaccinated. It is a personal choice. The caregivers that aren’t vaccinated have their personal reasons for not getting it. Everyone has their right to make the decision whether or not they get a vaccine that may or may not cause side effects in their system. Everyone reacts differently. Not every aide in senior living facilities are vaccinated either.
The request for a vaccinated caregiver is notated and we try our absolute best to get one, however if the caregiver that we do have for you isn’t vaccinated, she or he is still a fabulous caregiver. A lot of these men and woman worked during the pandemic for clients that absolutely needed a caregiver. They know how to follow CDC guidelines, wear a mask, and wash their hands.
What we Require for our Aides to Register
It is important that when looking for a caregiver, they have their background check done at the VERY LEAST. At Paradise Home Health we require the following:
- Level 2 background check (State & FBI)
- Copy of their CNA or HHA License
- Copy of American Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR certification
- Social Security Card, and Drivers License
- Physical within the last 6 months that must state caregiver is free from communicable diseases.
- We check AHCA to make sure there haven’t been any complaints against you since you got your license.
- Professional Liability Insurance (at least $250,000-1 Million
- Palm Beach caregiver ID badge (if they have it)
- CEU’s HIV/Alzheimer’s, assisting with medications.
Often times when someone hires a private duty caregiver, from a friend of a friend, there is no back-up. If that individual is sick who is going to take over the hours. We can provide a backup for our caregivers that our going to be out.
Where do we go From Here
Paradise Home Health Care wants to continue providing the best services to the community around us, and help in any way that we can. We don’t have an answering service, therefore all after hours calls are answered by a live individual. We ask that if it isn’t an emergency, please wait until regular business hours to call, which are Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00. The Paradise team is always here to help you.
We can meet in person to go over the paperwork, or it can be emailed to the client, or their family member via DocuSign. Feel free to call anytime to ask a questions or schedule
