Home Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Caregivers across South Shore Health are on the front lines of caring for our community during this unprecedented time. That includes our dedicated team of home care providers.

As home care providers, we realize we are guests in your home. Because your home is a different setting than a hospital or clinic, our team is working to guide patients and their families through this challenging time, which includes teaching proper safety precautions to take at home.

It’s critical that our patients and their caregivers follow the general guidelines on regular hand washing, avoiding crowds, and practicing social distancing.

It is also very important that you think twice about having friends and family members visit outside of your caregivers—especially if anyone in the family might be sick.

We know how hard this is. But your health and safety is our first priority, and this is one of the most important steps you can take right now.

We strongly encourage you to adhere to the following:

Use technology to keep in touch

We recognize that social connections are so important, but this is a time where being safe means embracing different ways of staying in touch. If you miss seeing a loved one’s face, video conferencing via FaceTime or Skype is a great idea. Here’s a helpful overview of some common video chat technologies and how to set them up for your loved one.

Communicate the old-fashioned way

At a time like this, time-honored forms of communication can help patients to feel less isolated or disconnected. Call more often on the telephone. Send a good old-fashioned letters. Order a small gift and have it delivered. Consider sending a postcard. All of these steps can brighten someone’s day.

Have a backup plan in case your caregiver gets sick

Your caregiver(s) are doing their best to practice extra precaution, but should someone on your care team get sick, it’s important to have a backup plan ready. Planning will help reduce any anxiety.

Keep supplies healthy

Our general rule of thumb is to try to have enough supplies (food and medication) in the house that can last for at least two weeks, or maybe more. Many insurance providers are covering medication refills for a couple of weeks ahead, even if they don’t usually allow it. Call your health insurance company to discuss your needs and options.

Talk though any fears or confusion around COVID-19 with your care team

As caregivers, we want to be sure patients and families know that we are here for them. With the situation evolving on a daily basis, South Shore Health has assembled all information relating to the coronavirus on our website.

As always, our first priority remains the health and safety of our patients and caregivers.
 

Learn more about COVID-19.