Now that vaccines are being readily distributed and states are lifting restrictions, it can be straightforward to begin backing off on the precautions you have taken as a home care provider. It can be tempting to lessen the amount of caution you use, but it could also be detrimental to the patients who require personal home care assistance. This can also be very frustrating for you as the home care provider, as it creates more stress and more work for you. So, how can you continue being patient throughout the pandemic, even though it seems to be improving?
Remember Who Your Patients Are
If you are employed by a caregiver agency and provide personal home care assistance, then your patients likely need a good amount of help. They may be old and frail, or young and ill, or any combination. This can make it difficult for them to receive the vaccine without complications, or it may be that they are still at high risk even with the benefits of the vaccine. The patients in your care are likely to be either 65 years of age or older, and they are likely to have an underlying medical condition that could make the virus even more dangerous for them if they were to catch it.
Do Your Research
Reminding yourself who your patients are will assist you in renewing your sense of empathy for them. Another way to increase your empathy is to do your research. There are many resources now that were made to help you understand Covid-19. Seeking out these resources and staying up to date on the ever-changing information will allow you to make informed decisions when working as a home care provider.
In making these decisions, you will be putting yourself in the shoes of your patients and their families. Doing so will help you to understand what the patients and their families fear. Then, having a renewed understanding of their individual needs, you will be able to take this information back to your caregiver agency and pass on the knowledge to other home care caregivers.
Follow All Guidelines
We have specific guidelines in place to all pitch in to ensure the health of ourselves, our coworkers, and our patients. The guidelines for TLC HomeCare are as follows:
- Do not report for work if you are not feeling well.
- Check your temperature at the beginning of each shift.
- Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer.
- No more than two people in each office space.
- Follow social distancing protocol.
- Refrain from touching your face.
- Avoid interaction with those who are ill.
- Avoid crowded events and non-essential travel.
- Clean frequently touched surfaces.
It can feel repetitive to follow guidelines, but a routine is essential to keeping yourself and those around you safe during the pandemic. In addition, if you and your fellow home care provider coworkers all follow these guidelines, it will create a sense of unity and assist in avoiding a feeling of isolation. These feelings are needed by you and by your patients to feel less alone during what could be a very lonely time.
Remember, the precautions you take daily will assist in protecting your patients from a disease that could severely impair or kill them. In addition, creating unity and destroying isolation will improve the mental health of all involved.
Remember How Important You Are
Now more than ever, your talents and expertise are needed. The demand for in-home care providers has increased exponentially amid Covid-19. You are invaluable to the patients who have underlying health conditions or who are battling the after-effects of a Covid-19 diagnosis. Home health creates a sense of safety and individuality for both patients and their families. You are the existential glue that is holding their mental health together. The way you treat them and the way you make them feel is imperative.
You have the power to change the way your patients look at the pandemic. You can improve the quality of care given to them. Remember how important you are, and do not sell yourself short. Keeping this reminder at the forefront of your mind will help you remain sharp and continue following the guidelines for safety, even when you feel burnt out.
In conclusion, this pandemic is not over. The battle is still being fought, and you are at the frontlines, serving those who are homebound. TLC HomeCare needs you to help us continue this fight and help our patients remain healthy. Join TLC HomeCare today and implement the unique abilities you bring as a home care provider. Be a hero today.