What do I do about their caregivers?

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AshleyNicole Asked March 2020

What do I do about their caregivers?

Every day I feel more and more conflicted about the right thing to do for my mom and uncle, both of whom have caregivers and live together.

I'm 32 and my husband and I both moved back to my home state last year (we actually posted on this forum for advice!) to be closer to my ailing mom and uncle and I don't regret a minute of it.

They live alone and because we rent a non-handicapped accessible apartment, we cannot bring them here. We were house hunting for something suitable but COVID has paused that.

We both have full-time jobs and live about 15 mins away. We cut their staff from ~12 per week (various shifts) to 2 M-F and no weekends (we do those shifts). There is a nurse that comes weekly for blood draws as well.

Every day I wonder should I cut all the staff and try to juggle our jobs and caregiving? They are okay overnight, but they cannot bathe, take meds, make meals etc on their own.

The staff is required to wear a mask (we are making them reuse because they are short supply), wash hands frequently, stay 6 ft away when possible and take their temperature at the door. I struggle with the fact that if we eliminate all of them we would lose the agency hours and if my husband or I got sick no one could help them and they would be stranded.

Anyone else a caregiver for family that doesn't live in home but pretty close by?

Care Decisions Coronavirus Home Care Long-distance Caregiving

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score 0 · Answer 1

There is no perfect answer here, no matter what you choose you’re taking a chance. Letting caregivers in potentially exposes to the virus, keeping them out exposes to all the issues they were hired to help prevent. For us, we’ve kept my dad’s helper. They are both comfortable with it, both being careful and taking appropriate precautions. He’d be far worse off without the help.

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score 0 · Answer 2

I went through the same decisions you are going through. Two weeks ago I let one of my caregivers going because other then feeding my mom she had no added value. I still had to walk over and help get my mom on the toilet and put her to bed. This past weekend having others coming in my parents house weighed heavy on me. My mom 94 on Hospice my dad 96 in great mental health just bad knees. Myself arthritis so autoimmune. I let my other caregiver for mom go, dad is going to continue paying her through the agency. So we do not loose her after this is over. We still set up a schedule so if for some reason I need her, she is available. I cancelled the Hospice baths, the hospice Social worker calls in. The nurse is on a every two week visit schedule. This change was a tough one. I have to say though I am more relaxed now and not stressed about the virus. I wish you the best. We live across the street so I just go back and fourth 4 times a day. Dad calls if mom needs anything.

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score 0 · Answer 3

I don't know if this will help but I work in an urgent care clinic and we have a nurse take the patient's temperature outside our clinic. If they have cough, fever, and shortness of breath, they must go back to their car and wait to be seen in a special negative pressure room.
If they do NOT have these symptoms or fever, (like your caregivers) they can come in, wash their hands and THEN put on a mask. We do not want dirty hands touching the face.
Your caregivers are OK to come in but must keep the mask on at all times.
All visitors including your care workers must have their temp taken, hands washed BEFORE putting on a mask and then enter your home.
On the way out, they must again, have their temp taken and hands washed before taking off their mask.
If they eat at your place, they must stay 6 feet away from everyone to eat and then follow the same procedure as before on donning and removing the mask.

We are reusing our masks at the clinic because we are in short supply. We keep them in a plastic bag when not being used and never touch them unless our hands are washed. We use gloves but still wash our hands again after removing the gloves. Hope this helps...

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score 0 · Answer 4

Family is no more immune to the virus than caregivers. We too can bring it into our elders homes especially if we are working outside our homes. I would ask how the caregivers are practicing social distancing. I would want to know how many people are in their households and if those people are working outside the home. I would limit the caregivers numbers and visits as you seem to be doing. You already have good guidelines for them in your Moms home. If you feel these caregivers are practicing a high standard of safety measures and you trust them then I would keep some measure of outside care-giving in place.

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score 4 · Answer 5

To reduce the C19 risk you can decide to temporarily suspend their care but continue to pay them so you don't lose their availability. Maybe just have them come in to blood draw or do things you absolutely can't do yourselves. I manage care for 2 very senior Aunts in FL (I'm in MN) and we've decided to keep their agency companion as long as she wants to keep coming. The downside to her not coming outweighs the risks (according to my Aunts). There's no "right answer" in the present. I wish you and your family peace in your hearts as you make hard decisions and move through this crisis!

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score 3 · Answer 6

Reusing a mask is worse than not using a mask at all. It means the staff are breathing through a filter which has been harbouring microbes for hours. If you don't have enough masks to use them as recommended, abandon the whole idea and focus on maintaining distance and reducing the number of people coming in and going out.

Other than that - isn't this up to your mother and your uncle to decide? Or are they not capable?

One other idea: they can't move in with you - could you move in with them?

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Neither are capable of making the decision anymore.

Unfortunately I cannot - their apartment is very small and there would be no where for me to stay and still maintain sleep / immunity.

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What do I do about their caregivers?

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