If you are the family member of a person who requires home health care or you yourself utilize home health care services, you may be wondering what you can or should do about those services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This global pandemic has changed the world in a myriad of ways and made close interpersonal interactions riskier than previously thought. Get to know some of the steps you can and should take when you or a loved one need home health care during the pandemic. Then, you can be sure you are doing what you can to stay safe in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Ask Caregivers to Wear Masks and Gloves

One of the steps you can take to stay safe and healthy during the pandemic (or to keep your loved one safe) is to ask the home health caregivers that come into the house to always wear masks and gloves. They should change their gloves if they touch their face or have to assist with toileting or bathing, of course. 

This is a simple step that can keep you healthy while interacting with your home caregiver. You too may want to wear at least a mask when the home caregiver is around. This will protect you both from potentially passing on germs to one another. 

Ask for the Lowest Possible Number of Caregivers

If you are working with a home health care service, they often provide you with several caregivers that work in shifts. The number of caregivers you have can vary a great deal. In light of the pandemic, it is best to have the lowest number of people possible coming in and out of your home. 

Ask the home health care service to limit the number of caregivers you have. Ideally, you would only have one if you only need part-time care, and two if you need full-time care. Home caregivers can work 10-12 hour shifts, and as such, it is possible to limit the number of caregivers that come into your home. You just have to be sure you ask for that and let the home health care service know it is because of COVID-19 concerns. 

Ask for Exclusive Caregivers

You may also want to ask the home health care service to only provide you with caregivers who are not also providing care to other clients. If they see other clients, there is more of a potential for viral transmission. As such, you will want caregivers that see few to no other clients in their home caregiver services. 

This may not always be possible, but asking for them to limit the number of clients your caregiver sees is a reasonable request to make of your home health care service during the pandemic. 

Now that you know some of the steps you can take when receiving home care during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can start taking these steps right away to protect your health.