Apex Homecare Guidance for Families Receiving Home Care in the Time of COVID
By October 17th, 2021 all Apex Homecare employees will be mandated to receive the Covid-19 Vaccine. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our clients and our employees within the community we serve.
Families being referred for home health or home care should feel confident that they are working with an agency that is following federal and state guidance for safe home care practice. Below are some questions that families can ask and what families can expect prior to a home care visit:
1. How are you screening your staff for Covid-19?
Apex does testing on all new staff and have testing available to all staff at their request.
2. Do you have a daily self-assessment tool that is mandatory for aides?
If a staff member is feeling sick, they are told not to go to work. We follow up with testing.
3. How does your agency manage workers with symptoms or who have been exposed?
Apex requests all aides with symptoms go to their Dr. for a Covid-19 test and/or they can come into the office for a test. If an aide is exposed to Covid-19 they must are furloughed for 14 days and then must get a negative test to come back to work.
4. Have your aides and homemakers received training in infection control measures? Do they receive additional Covid-19 training?
Apex has a mandatory video on Covid-19 for staff. We also have been working with our staff through google meet online meetings reviewing testing, masks, PPE etc.
5. What protective equipment and sanitization procedures are your staff using for positive Covid clients/patients? Do you train staff to take PPE on and off?
Apex Homecare does not allow home care aides to go into a known positive Covid-19 case. We feel this should be done by experienced nurses and medical professionals who are comfortable with donning and doffing PPE. All our staff are trained in wearing masks, face shields and gloves.
6. What protective equipment and sanitization procedures are your staff using for NON Covid-19 client/patient care?
Apex always expects all staff to wear a mask around their clients, they use gloves and we provide hand sanitizer to everyone.
7. Will my family member need to wear a mask during care?
No, Apex does not expect the consumer to wear a mask while a home care aide is working with them unless they want to. Apex does expect all family members and friends wear a mask when in the presence of our staff.
Before making a first visit to a new client Apex nurses review the client’s history with the client. If the client is coming out of a nursing home Apex explains they must wait 14 days before we will start services.
Apex Homecare is committed to continuing to provide care – safely – to frail and vulnerable populations to keep them where they are safest: on their homes.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 413-746-4663 with any questions.