Category: !CAI

Quarantine is not fun for anyone, but being stuck inside all day doesn’t have to be a drag! When you’re looking for something to do, whether it be while waiting for a grocery delivery, your caregiver preparing your meal or washing laundry – relax by catching up on the latest travel series and indulge in some nostalgia with a Cary Grant film.

One way you can access these programs is by subscribing to a “streaming” media service. Streaming means online, so you will need a fast internet connection. However, if you’re not looking to upgrade, some services do allow temporary or permanent downloading.

Let’s chat about some of your best streaming options to make the day more enjoyable and entertaining:

KANOPY

Kanopy is a great option if you have a library card because it means you already qualify for a Kanopy subscription, and it’s FREE! Kanopy prides itself on curating a high-quality catalog, making choosing between an Oscar-nominated film, documentary, or just a simple romantic comedy easy. The major drawback is that Kanopy only gives you 9 watch credits per month, which a dedicated movie-watcher can burn through in a week. Many titles on Kanopy aren’t available anywhere else, and since it’s free, it’s worth linking your library card to this service.

DISNEY+

This amazing collection of Disney productions features both modern and vintage entertainment. Watch contemporary classics like Avatar or Toy Story or indulge in some nostalgia with Snow White, The Parent Trap, or you can watch the whole Star Wars series. How cool was Carrie Fisher? Disney Plus also hosts educational content, including the entire catalog of National Geographic documentaries. One of the best featured films from National Geographic is called “Free Solo,” and details the expedition of a professional climber, Alex Honnold, who climbs 2,000 feet in Yosemite without rope or any climbing aid! If that’s not for you, you can virtually explore the world with their various other adventure documentaries that explore animals and different ecosystems. And because it’s Disney, you can rest assured that every title is family-friendly and free of graphic violence or other offensive material.

The service is also relatively affordable. Basic Disney+ only costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. If you’re willing to pay a little extra ($12.99 a month), you can also get Hulu and ESPN+. ESPN+ is a great choice for sports fans, as you can stream live games as they happen. It also offers a wide selection of sports-related documentaries and analytical talk shows.

HULU

Hulu boasts one of the largest streaming libraries currently available, and you can subscribe to it as a standalone service for $5.99 a month. If you’re looking for a large library of classics this may not be the one for you (although they do currently have Saturday Night Fever and Good Will Hunting available). However, they often have the best selection of new movies. Quentin Tarantino’s latest, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is available along with the latest Men in Black movie, Men in Black: International, Aquaman and so many more. They’re TV show selection is great for your reality TV show binge watchers, but definitely not for those looking to relax with a cooking or adventure documentary or program. The two big drawbacks are that even though you pay for the service, Hulu will still show ads, and it doesn’t have many exclusives; you can find most of their catalog on other services.

NETFLIX

Netflix, the pioneer in TV and movie streaming is still going strong. The company currently offers a basic streaming plan at $8.99 a month, which is a catch. They boast the largest number of exclusives, everything from award-winning Orange is the New Black to foreign shows like The Protector. And their DVD rental service is still going! They always have a great selection of classics from Grease to West Side Story. And if you’re feeling creative in the kitchen or missing the outdoors, Netflix has the best array of cooking, travel, and health and wellness shows to explore without leaving your house. Honestly, just the fact that they have Jeopardy makes it all worthwhile.

You can check out one ($7.99/month) or two ($11.99/month) DVDs at a time. Keep them as long as you like and take advantage of Netflix’s truly impressive DVD library.

AMAZON PRIME (Prime Video)

If you regularly have books or other necessities delivered to your home, consider subscribing to Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime offers customers free two-day delivery on certain products and a comprehensive library of free e-books that you can read on a Kindle or computer screen. And the movies! Amazon’s catalog includes older movies that don’t get much love anymore, such as Grace Kelly and Cary Grant’s “To Catch a Thief.” And many of Audrey Hepburn’s amazing movies: “Roman Holiday,” “Funny Face,” and “War and Peace.”

Luckily they have a lot of new shows as well that have turned out to be huge hits such as the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. All this for the steal of $9.99 a month.

HBO MAX

Long considered the final word in prestige TV, HBO has finally made its catalog available via streaming. They feature much of their own original programming, including shows like True Blood, Game of Thrones, or The Sopranos, and currently continues the trend with the newly released Lovecraft Country. They also have a significant catalog of documentaries, as well-made as their TV shows. The big drawback is that HBO Max is by far the most expensive service on this list, costing $14.99 per month. And most of their titles are newer; they do not host many older films. Lastly, HBO has a well-earned reputation for their racy programming – many of their shows feature profanity, nudity, and violence.

GOOGLE PAY / APPLE TV

Google Play and Apple TV are a bit different from the other services listed here. Rather than pay a monthly or yearly fee, you pay per title, and prices vary widely. A mid-range TV show might cost $2.99 per episode, while a popular new film might cost $12.99. You can purchase some TV shows by the episode or the season, with prices varying based on the number of episodes and how recently the show was released.

Google Play and Apple TV also offer a rental service for many of their movies. You can rent the movie for a fraction of the film’s cost, usually between $2.99 and $4.99. Once you rent a movie, you have 30 days to begin watching it. Once you start watching it, you have 72 hours until the movie gets returned – but you can watch it as often as you like within that time frame.

The drawback of this one is that if you watch a lot of movies or tv shows, it can get expensive. But once you purchase (not rent) a movie or show, you can download it and have it forever. Additionally, content that is often exclusive to one platform can be found and purchased here.

OTHERS

This list gives you only the biggest names. Other services, like CBS All Access or AT&T TV Now, often offer cheaper prices – but at the trade-off of a smaller catalog. But just in case they host a favorite or two of yours, they are worth looking into if you have the time.

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WHAT IS AN HCS?
There are many different elements involved when holding the role as a Home Care Specialist (HCS). Primarily we are the liaison between the in-home private duty care company and hospitals, rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities, and many other healthcare services or accommodations. But we don’t stop there. We also work closely with any professional in the aging life care industry – elder law attorneys, care managers, and financial planners.

As an HCS, I try to be a resource to my clients and their families covering a wide range of care needs. For more about our in-home care services click here

‍I typically consult with clients and families on care options. Care Advantage offers specialized programs targeting different needs—from hourly to 24/7 care, a 7-day live-in caregiver program, or private duty skilled nursing for high acuity patients. But in the background, there is a whole team of experienced care services professionals who support the client through the onboarding process and help to make each client experience a positive one.

DAY TO DAY
Every day starts with a strong plan. Time management is the key to a successful day because on a busy day anything can happen. Some days I’m answering back to back calls from social workers and case managers. Other days, I’m focusing on our email messaging about a new program. The variety and pace of the day keeps me on my toes.
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‍IT’S GOOD TO TALK
‍The best way our team supports each other is through clear communication. The attention to detail regarding each case determines its success. We can take any curveball thrown at us because we have a constant line of communication and having each other’s backs. Dare I say, over communication?

One person I’m talking with regularly is my amazing staffer, Ivonne. She’s in charge of caregiver availability, schedules, and match-making clients. With every client, there are core questions that must be answered. With all the moving parts, I try not to let any questions go unanswered. As she says, “tie it up with a bow”.

‍ADAPTING DURING COVID
‍Before COVID, you would see me driving around in my Jeep, slinging brochures and handing out business cards. In March 2020, with concern for the safety of our team and clients, Care Advantage made the smart decision to have our care family work remotely when possible. For me and other HCS’s it took a few weeks to adjust not seeing everyone in person, missing the hugs and smiling faces. On the bright side, the new circumstances offered new opportunities. Was I working from a card table and a plastic chair? Yes. Was I talking to my clients in my fuzzy slippers? Perhaps. But like I said, you have to see the bright side.

Care Advantage was an early adopter to providing COVID+ care by establishing a COVID Task Force. The task force includes a nurse accompanying the caregiver on day one of a client’s care. Safety is our top priority. Protocol requires multiple health screenings prior to care starting (from both a client and caregiver touchpoint), understanding the home environment, and offering COVID-19 testing.

I feel so lucky to have an experienced and supportive team around me and I am very proud to serve those, in the safest place possible, each and every day.

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Teaching a 78-year-old woman how to infuse IV medications for her cognitively impaired son with endocarditis.

Finding a vein in the middle of the night for a 6-year-old boy with osteomyelitis.

Managing the wounds of a sprightly 100-year-old woman so full of life and wisdom.

These are just a few of the patients (and moments) Pamela remembers in her career as a nurse; a career that has taken her from the front lines of health care to life as a consultant and then on to her role as the Chief Operating Officer of Care Advantage, Inc.

“Being a nurse has been the foundation of my career, no matter the role or responsibility, I have always placed the patient at the center of everything I do.  Ensuring our patients have a great experience and achieving the best possible outcome is job number one for our skilled team.  Focusing on patient centered goals and getting the patients and caregivers involved in the care is where the magic happens.  When patients establish goals that they want to achieve, they work harder to achieve those goals so they can quickly get back to their prior level of function and regain their independence.”

‍THE EVOLUTION OF HOME CARE

The skilled care division at Care Advantage covers close to a three-hundred-mile radius serving patients across the state of Virginia. The three branch offices consist of All About Care, Paradise Home Care (both in Richmond, VA) and Virginia Home Health and Hospice which is based in Rural Retreat, VA. All three locations offer state of the art clinical programs designed around helping the elderly population who experience acute or chronic, health conditions. These programs and the clinical care we provide, serve to help our patients regain their independence and age in place. Home is where all patients want to be. Patients actually do better in their own home environment and recover more quickly than they do in hospitals or any other inpatient facility providing care.

“I have seen a major transition in home healthcare over the span of my career,” Pamela said. “When I first became a nurse, the focus of health care was institutional, primarily hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. There was very little knowledge of, or respect for, the home health industry three decades ago. I believe this to be true primarily because healthcare providers knew very little about providing care in the home setting or the outcomes that were achieved. In the mid to late 90’s, the majority of care being provided was managing and teaching chronic illnesses like diabetes, CHF and COPD, performing/teaching wound care and managing oral medications.  While those are still skills that we provide today, the level of care has really been elevated in the home setting. Today, we care for tracheostomy or ventilation dependent patients; we manage pleurx draining systems and wound vacs, which is a vacuum assisted closure system used to heal major wounds; we also infuse all types of medications through an intravenous line as well as care for patients on the same day they’ve had joint replacement surgery. So, not only are we providing more complex care than ever before, the cost of providing this care is less than 3% of the total US health care expenditures which was $3.65 trillion in 2018 according to the latest CMS analysis.”

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CARE

After working many years as a consultant, Pamela’s interest in joining the Care Advantage team grew, more so after discovering that the company was founded by a local nurse, Debbie Johnston. Pamela knew, with a nurse leading the company, that the patient would have to be the core of their focus which resonated well with her guiding principle…

“Care for the patient first and everything else will fall into place.”

“As it turned out, Debbie Johnston’s philosophy for Care Advantage, did, in fact, mirror mine and joining this team has proven to be a great decision,” she said. “Debbie has been caring for patients in Virginia for nearly 30 years and being able to continue her legacy was an honor that I was proud to have.”  

At Care Advantage, we take great pride in meeting the needs of our patients and my teams focus on every aspect of the patient; we take a holistic approach to care as so many times,  it’s not the physical component that presents a roadblock to achieving goals but more times than not, it’s the financial, psychological or spiritual need that must first be addressed in order to achieve the overall goal.   The Holistic care approach always delivers the best care and the best possible outcome for our patients.

CARE DURING THE PANDEMIC

“These are definitely not ordinary times for healthcare providers,” Pamela said, acknowledging the crisis of COVID-19.  “Knowing the volume of patients and clients that we had to care for when this pandemic hit, we knew we had to move quickly to develop new policies, procedures and protocols that would enable us to continue caring for our patients and clients.”  

“We quickly created our physician-led COVID-19 Response Team that was comprised of the most highly skilled and seasoned professionals we had who helped us prepare for what we knew was coming.  We developed training in-services and refresher courses along with online education and simulation drills to ensure that our staff were prepared, equipped and ready to care for our patients all the while protecting themselves as they cared for patients on the front line.  Initially, we all had a fear of the unknown, not understanding this virus.  It did not take us very long to realize that this was what we were trained for…to care for patients in need, COVID-19 positive or not.  This was our chosen field and together, we rose to the occasion and met the challenge head on.  We continued educating our clinical teams on Infection control, cross-contamination prevention, proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment, this was an ongoing event across the company.  We quickly moved to secure ample amounts of PPE ensuring the continued safety of employees and patients. It brings a level of comfort knowing that our employees are prepared and protected with every visit they make.”  

“I’m incredibly proud of my teams and our organization. We pulled together and faced this pandemic as one collective, adaptable, caregiving team.”

This sense of readiness is part of Care Advantage’s mission of service. Whether it’s for a patient in need, a middle-of-the-night emergency or an innovative solution to a one-of-a-kind problem, Pamela and her teams are on the front lines caring for patients all across the state of Virginia.

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Tina Bell, Vice President of Sales for Care Advantage in-home care services, says, “I look forward to coming to work every day and feel so fortunate to be able to say that. Tina’s background is international; born in London, raised in New Zealand and having lived in Australia, she has had multiple life and career experiences. “I have had the opportunity to live in many beautiful places. From my across-the-pond family to my blended bunch here, I enjoy time with all of them.”

Her career in the hospitality industry in the United States was going strong when a friend suggested she might want a change. When she looked at a job with Care Advantage, she says she found something she had not experienced before. “I was able to fully experience using my heart as well as my head in my job.”

She took the leap and that job put her in direct contact with people who were in the process of being discharged from hospitals, rehab settings and desperately wanted to be back at home. She says, “I can’t explain how great it felt to be holding the hand of a ninety-year old woman who said, ‘Thank you for helping me get back home.” I was able to make that happen for her and others, utilizing Care Advantage’s experienced in-home care staff.

That caregiving team includes young nursing students, experienced caregivers as well as older caregivers who can truly empathize with older clients. An important part of her job was to pair the right caregivers with clients. Finding the set of personality, skills, experience and understanding that a specific client required and matching them with the right care giver requires sensitivity and truly listening to clients and family members. Tina always took great care in getting those matches right.

She found purpose and satisfaction in helping these people get home and stay home safely. She shares that it’s wonderful to listen to a person share how important their home is to them and then be able to make it happen successfully.

Care Advantage is the largest privately-owned home care company in Virginia with offices all over the state. In the last twenty-four months it has continued that growth by adding Capital City Nurses and Coastal Home Care to expand its services into Washington DC, Maryland and Delaware.

As Care Advantage continued to grow, Tina’s role expanded to management. She became the hirer, teacher and inspirer of new sales representatives statewide. She now manages 14 home care specialists whose job it is to make Care Advantage’s services known to those hospital and rehab personnel who make discharge plans for patients returning home as well as patients and family members who need those services.

In an average day, Tina might be driving across the state to various offices, participating in company meetings, interviewing possible new home care specialists, offering support services, providing advice and training to any one of the fourteen home care specialists she manages, troubleshooting various problems and providing inspiration to them all. “I see the company as a true family.”

She says, “I identify new potential home care specialists, hire them and teach them what I know from having done their job myself. Training is about a two or three-week process. The most important advice I can give them is to lean on your peers, learn from their experience. It’s so rewarding, I am proud of our culture and our reputation.” She feels strongly that Care Advantage is bound by values of compassion, attitude, respect and excellence. “This eager, knowledgeable and kind team seeks to educate their communities on the services we provide, and the many programs and initiatives we offer ensure those services meet the needs of our clients.”

On a personal level, Tina is very much an outdoors girl. Weekends might find her camping with her husband and her English Black Lab, “Moseley.” She says she is an “adventurer by heart” who enjoys traveling, fly fishing, hiking, cooking, writing, vegetable gardening, and campsite relaxing in many of Virginia’s beautiful state parks.

She suggests that others may want to look at this field for their career. “I feel good at the end of the day. It is a sales job, but also about compassion and caring, giving people the information and help they need to lead their lives as they want to. I have grown so much in this role; I now have an all-encompassing view of home health care and its value to individuals and the community.”

Tina feels even more proud to have helped her team navigate through the recent tumultuous waters known as COVID-19, which threw the sales team headfirst into unchartered territory – work-from-home. “Literally overnight we had to change the way we do everything, and guide a high-energy, driven, outside field team to their home offices and kitchen tables, to work.

Thanks to an incredibly strong clinical team, leadership support, and a marketing department that is second to none, the sales team was able to quickly adapt to a virtual setting and continue to deliver consistent messages electronically. Almost immediately, the team was setting up ZOOM meetings, creating video messaging, and educating their customers on our ability to care for COVID positive patients with stringent, safe policies. “We have continued to serve not just well, but impeccably so. We continue to outdo our competition, and to stay top of mind for those who trust us. We are incredibly proud to have stayed together and strong throughout all of this. It will serve as a constant reminder to Discharge Planners and others, that WE are the organization to turn to.

We can provide a safe solution for those wishing to heal in their own environment. We can provide that peace of mind.”

“Bio-psycho-social, what ???”

Thank you to Wicker in the Morning with Jeff Wicker and Rebecca Wilde for hosting your “Front Line Friend” our, CEO Tim Hanold on your radio show! Listen to find out how you can get started in a career in healthcare and how the Care Advantage Family of companies can support you in your personal career goals!

Also, find out the definition of “Biopsychosocial!”

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The term Continuum of Care is frequently heard in healthcare settings. It refers to the varying levels of care a person might need all the way from living independently to in-hospital care, a rehabilitation center, long term care or long-term memory care with all of the stages of recovery or maintenance included. The continuum can be seen as a ladder with each of these settings seen as a step on the ladder.

The person living independently who wants to stay in their own home is the first rung of this ladder. Being able to stay in our own home, living as independently as possible, is the preferred outcome for many of us. Yet some people may need help with a few tasks to be able to continue that independence. A personal care assistant or certified nursing assistant coming in for just a few hours a week may make all the difference in that being possible.

If you or a loved one is sidelined by an illness or injury that requires hospitalization, you require an entirely different level of care. This is the second step on the ladder. Initially, a person recovering from serious surgery or an accident may need intense care such as help in breathing, feeding and toileting in a critical care unit of the hospital. You might decide to supplement that hospital care with your own aide providing additional support. Sometimes the presence of an additional caretaker in the hospital setting can help relieve the burden on the family and increase the quality of care your loved one or you will receive.

A third setting is the rehabilitation unit of the hospital or a separate rehabilitation facility. Here, a more active phase of recovery begins with physical, occupational, speech or other therapies. Physical therapy can be provided to help get patients back to walking or transiting from bed to wheelchair or walker.  Occupational therapy may be needed to help them relearn steps in feeding or dressing themselves and many other critical tasks. Speech therapy is frequently needed after stroke. These activities can be supplemented by additional help from an aide who can help the patient practice skills being taught by therapists. Hopefully, the patient is then able to be discharged to the home.

The goal for most is a return to the first step in the ladder, that is the patient’s home.  Here may be where your loved one needs the most support. The home health aides provide a critical assist in the home setting to help the patient stay as healthy as possible and to be able to remain home and avoid further hospital stays.

Therapies begun in the rehab setting can be continued in the home. Working with a home care provider who can coordinate all of the therapies needed in home (including visits from the physical and occupational therapists) makes life easier as you then have one central point of contact coordinating all your care.

These steps in the recovery process can lead to full recovery and hopefully, the person’s ability to regain their former life. But if return to home is not possible, another step of the ladder might be long-term care or long-term memory care. Once again, home health aides again can supplement overworked staff to provide one on one care for your loved one.

With help from a company like Care Advantage, each of these stages in the continuum can be handled with a consistency of support and care so that momentum in the recovery or maintenance process can continue unimpeded. At every stage of the continuum of care, Care advantage, an award-winning home healthcare company, can help guide you and your family members to the best possible outcomes. Care Advantage may make the difference in how fully recovery takes place, giving you the peace of mind that comes when you know your loved one is being cared for and that is priceless.

To learn more, check out our Home Healthcare Services    

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Often, patients, eager to come home from the hospital, don’t realize they may need help with the simplest of daily tasks. Day-to-day activities, like bathing, dressing, eating, standing, walking and even toileting, things we take for granted, can become impossible on our own after illness, injury or just from the aging process. Surgeries or a hospital stay can result in mobility and driving issues. When your family member arrives home and cannot do some of the simplest but most important tasks their need for help can become, not just an inconvenience, but a matter of life and death.

Sometimes accepting that help is hard. If it is the first time in your life that you have needed to ask for help, that makes it even harder. Then there is the issue of adapting to having a newcomer in the house, even if that person is a helper. Resistance to accepting assistance from others can be a barrier to recovery from illness, injury and even the ability to stay in your own home.

These issues are why Care Advantage considers a positive relationship between caregiver and client to be of critical importance. Good relationships based on support, dignity and respect just make it so much easier to accept help.

Part of what can help that bond develop is attention to the specific needs of each patient. Every person’s situation is unique. There is no cookie cutter, no generalizations in personal care. Learning what the specific differences and preferences of each client is our goal. So, Care Advantage teaches their employees to tailor a plan based on what our customers tell us they really want in the way of service. Your father may not want someone bathing him but may desperately need help in toileting and may not want to share that. Another client may insist on washing her own few dishes but cannot cope with an oven or frypan.

Another relationship basic is communication. To keep things running smoothly, Care Advantage prioritizes client communication and will set up a system based on your preferences.

Our caregivers blend with their families building a long-term basis of trust and partnership that can last for years. The full range of services they can provide is extensive. It might include: help with bathing, shampooing, skin care, toileting, walking, medication reminders, light housekeeping, driving to appointments, help with grocery shopping, or just plain companionship. Pretty much everything that family members provide can be a part of a personal services plan. In addition, Care Advantage can also help you with skilled nursing, occupational and physical therapy as the need arises.

Our caregivers often have relationships with clients and client families that last through the years. Clients have even been known to take their caregivers on family vacations and gatherings.

Care Advantage as a company, is so confident in their ability to satisfy client needs, that they offer a 24-hour guarantee. If you, as a new client, are not satisfied with service, they will refund your first 24 hours of fees.

Because these critical needs may become apparent only after the individual is back at home or arise because of a sudden change in their condition, Care Advantage promises to provide you with helpers within twenty-four hours of your request.

Let us talk with you and listen to what your greatest concerns are for your family member as well as hearing their needs and really listening. Being sensitive to these differences and working with the patient can help make their lives at home not just possible but wonderful.    

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Coronavirus is certainly becoming more of a conversation each day and while we do not want to cause more concern than necessary, we also want to be realistic. Our goal is always to remain calmly cautious. To keep in mind that our role in the community is to provide high quality, compassionate care – in a client’s OWN HOME environment, wherever that may be. It has been shown that containment is the strongest preventative measure against the spread of COVID-19, and so providing in-home care addresses this need, perfectly.

We will continue to respond quickly to additional client needs, being available 24-7, and providing information and reassurance that reduces stress and focuses on patient safety.

What are we doing to protect our clients and caregiving family?

• An elevated level of adherence to using Universal Precautions in the home (stringent hand and respiratory hygiene, gloves for contact-care, surface-wiping)

• Precautionary advice to our caregivers with regards to taking certain steps with travel plans

• Additional assessment of signs and symptoms of infection at every clinical touch point.

• Education provided to caregivers during orientation and through additional touch points on symptoms, containment, and next-steps if a client becomes unwell. Strict self-reporting expectation to caregivers regarding their own wellness

• Documentation of universal precautions on every shift, along with the ability to leave additional comments if there are any noted changes or concerns.

• “Virtual” nursing assessments with new or existing clients – utilizing services like Face Time if requested

Providing high-quality, compassionate care in-home will help alleviate fears that clients and families may have about leaving for medical appointments. We have access to a blended suite of services, including skilled nursing care, therapies, etc. This continuum approach allows us to assist in a quicker discharge for hospitalized clients, even avoiding the rehab step in an effort to get them home safely.

We will be working towards ensuring that clients stay safe, are informed, and practice precautionary virus protection in their home environment.    

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In my role as CEO I feel it is vital that our clients, our caregiving family and our communities are fully aware of what we are doing to ensure we can continue to provide exceptional care services to our clients safely in the home. Coronavirus has created one of the most challenging healthcare environments of recent times. That said, our pro-active approach from the get-go coupled with our exceptional clinical expertise and amazing caregiving family means we are ready and able to answer the call of duty.

As a leader on the home care landscape, I wanted to take a few moments too remind ourselves what a privilege it is to be able to serve our communities and make a real difference each day. Just this afternoon, the federal government acknowledged “that those who work in the healthcare services industry are a critical part of our country’s infrastructure and that we have a special responsibility to maintain normal working schedules”. Our caregiving family is definitely up to the task at hand.

Our teams are working behind the scenes to continue to manage and facilitate our business while also strictly following CDC guidelines to maintain a responsible work environment. We have instituted a variety of innovative measures including virtual assessments for our nurses to help interact safely clients and caregivers and a cohesive, real-time communications strategy. In addition, our office teams can provide critical support services to our field clinicians and caregivers to ensure core functions such as payroll support and scheduling services remain uninterrupted. We are experiencing a surge of new caregivers who want to join the cause.

The most effective way you can help your loved one is to stay home and limit the risk of contamination. Please utilize technology such as the eRSP Family portal, text, video chats and emails. Also, please remember to use universal healthcare precautions:

Proper Hand Hygiene, Resource:

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together, ensuring to also soap the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Tip: Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette, Resource:

The following measures to contain respiratory secretions are recommended for all individuals with signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Use in the nearest waste receptacle to dispose of the tissue after use.
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
• Perform hand hygiene (e.g., hand washing with non-antimicrobial soap and water, alcohol-based hand rub, or antiseptic handwash) after having contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects/materials.

Care Advantage and its Family of Companies will continue to operate as business as usual while also staying focused on compassionate client care, let us take it from here.

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