When the pandemic began, the topic of what business and who was allowed to continue to work was a hot topic in every city and state. A new title was introduced to describe those who could continue to work; essential workers. This title included hospital staff, healthcare workers, grocery store employees, and more.
You would think that home care workers would fall under that umbrella. However, the title of being an essential worker did not always mean you would be treated as such. Home healthcare is essential to the lives of millions of Americans across the country.
Essential Work But Not Essential Workers
Although home healthcare is essential for keeping many people alive, not every service was able to be provided during the quarantine. We understand the importance of maintaining a bubble especially for older adults who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus. Davetta Care has been able to provide essential in-home services while keeping our clients and care workers safe.
Home health aides have seemingly been pushed to the side whether it be on commercials and ads thanking essential workers but not including home health aides to not seeing an increase in pay. So, in theory, a home health aid or caretaker is considered essential because of the work they complete but they are not treated as other essential workers.
Labor Protections
Although Davetta Care went above and beyond to keep our staff and clients safe not every care provider was able to do the same. There have been stories of care workers being given paper towels and rubber bands to create their own face masks, while also needing to buy their own supplies.
Essential workers in other fields were given personal protection equipment to ensure their safety. In some industries, essential workers were even given hazard pay and an increase in salary. There are many theories as to why home healthcare took a back seat when it came to these issues.
Services Provided
In addition to the services already being provided to patients, home healthcare workers also had to implement new services. Many patients have had worsening conditions or have begun to suffer from depression due to the restrictions placed by local, state, and federal government officials. So a patient who may have been accustomed to a certain routine for their ailment will now have other issues or see a progression in their illness.
This adds on more responsibilities to home care aides. They must now be counselors and find innovative ways to face depression and other mental illnesses caused by this period of isolation. Even when things begin to reopen and people are vaccinated, some of these issues may persist.
As the older population was found to be at a higher risk, home health aides also had to take additional precautions so COVID-19 was not brought into the home or spread to other members of the family.
Provide Care to Patients With Davetta Care
The role of home healthcare has changed drastically over the last year or so and although we are considered essential workers, we were not always treated as such. Davetta Care has gone to great lengths to ensure our staff and clients have remained safe during this time.
When you are looking for a care provider that actually cares, call 267-534-3656 or visit our contact page to speak with a Davetta Care representative.
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