For caregivers who care for a LO, is it safe to allow your backup person to continue helping in light of the virus?

I think the bottom line is you really have to be able to trust that your back up person is taking the same precautions as you would in her place, can you?

Its a hard call. Like you, I let all my helpers go, one because I felt there was not an added value, other then fixing mom meals. For whatever reason she never became comfortable standing mom by herself. The other worked at a nursing home also. We keep in touch with this lady. Turns out covid has been in her facility but she has not caught it nor others in her section. In the end I decided to do the care myself. As the numbers go down I plan to have the lady come back first that gave mom baths. She would get mom up after and put mom in her chair and then send me a text to come over. As for the one working in the facility that came over in the late afternoon to toilet mom, fix meals and get her to bed. I plan to wait a bit. My mom is very easy to care for. She has dementia but is not confrontational and once she is in bed or her chair will stay put until I tell her its time to get up or use the toilet. I also live across the street. I am able to go in and out several times a day. Plus I have a camera set up in the recreation room off the kitchen. We set moms hospital bed up in there. Dads desk and recliner are in sight of mom and the my camera at all times.

It's a tough call. Everyone has to make those choices based on their own situation, but, I know what you mean about weighing the risks. For me, the lifting of the restrictions doesn't mean much. My chances of contracting the virus is not any less, actually, it's more, because, there will be more exposure if I start going to more places, so, I'm continuing with working remotely, curbside shopping and social distancing. However, when a senior needs care, they need care. One thing that I have focused on with my parents is keeping them from falling. Because, if that happens, no visits and probably, they won't cope with that at all. I wonder if the caregiver has been tested? Has she been trained on PPE? My cousin (LO) is in MC and their facility has ZERO cases in the staff or residents, so far. Thank goodness. I'm not sure how they are doing it, but, a rep told me that they take extreme measures with taking staff temperatures, strict PPE codes, etc. But, there are no guarantees. It's a difficult decision. I'd listen to what you feel you are comfortable with.

We have kept my father's helper throughout this. She’s extremely careful about cleanliness, actually makes my dad be more careful than he’d normally be. For him, and for us, it’s better to have the help than not. I think as long as you monitor health and the precautions it’ll be fine to have help. You also have risks to mental health with doing this 24/7 and not getting a break