Handwashing and clothing - there's more to it

Proper Handwashing

The best way to prevent the spread of a virus to your client is by immediately washing your hands when you come into your senior’s home.

Wash your Apron

Additionally, make sure you wear a clean apron with every client. Do not wear your purple apron into another client’s home without washing it in hot water. The coronavirus can live on your clothes.

The World Health Organization says that it's not certain yet how long the coronavirus lives on surfaces, but preliminary information indicates that it may "persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days."

Harvard Health notes that the virus is more likely to survive on hard services than softer ones like clothing fabric. Still, doctors suggest removing shoes and changing into clean clothes to prevent outside germs from coming into your home.

Disinfecting surfaces

 Perform routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces with detergent/disinfectant solution/wipe at least daily or when visibly dirty.  Floors should be cleaned using a detergent solution.

Use of disinfection

 Use freshly made bleach solution and follow manufacturer’s instructions for appropriate dilution and use (see link below for recipe).  Wipe the area with bleach solution using disposable paper towels or a disposable cloth.  Dispose of gloves and mask in a leak proof plastic bag.  Wash hands well using soap and water and dry with disposable paper or single-use cloth towel. If water is unavailable, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub.

Preparation of disinfectant solution

 Gloves should be worn when handling and preparing bleach solutions.  Protective eye wear should be worn in case of splashing.  Bleach solution should be:  made up daily  used mainly on hard, non-porous surfaces (it can damage textiles and metals).  Sufficient time is required to kill the virus, i.e., at least 10 minutes contact time

More information on Environmental cleaning and disinfection principles for COVID-19

Employee Accomplishments

Last week we let you know that we had made a comprehensive course on Infectious Disease Prevention available in our course library in Paycor. I would like to give a shout out to the following employees who completed the course this week. Thank you for your initiative and Congratulations on your accomplishment.

Amy TenHarmsel Ann Williams Carol Hanchett Cleo Corliss Cynthia Larson Etta Condon Linda Arnold-Lillibridge Mark Hudelson Mary Davis Renee Gleeson Sonja Vanvlerah

Safety Tips from the CDC - COVID 19

Subject: ACL.gov/COVID-19: Info for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

At this time, CDC recommends that everyone, regardless of age or disability, take the same precautions to avoid illness. These include the following everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of all respiratory diseases, including colds and flu:

• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Staying home when you are sick.

• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash.

• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

• Following CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.

  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to  others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

  • For more information, see CDC’s Handwashing website

  • For information specific to healthcare, see CDC’s Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Setting

UPDATE #2 - Coronavirus and US

The Coronavirus situation continues to grab our attention and definitely causes us all some concern. While we are praying for a quick vaccine, we feel it is also wise to plan for a possible impact here at Managed Senior Care. Our first step was for the Administrative staff, Nora and I to complete a detailed business impact analysis. We want to share with you that we feel very good that our agency could withstand a potential interruption of business with a couple of action items.

The first thing we are doing is reviewing all of our receivers’ service needs to make sure someone hasn’t had a recent change in condition that is not in the shift notes. We have some receivers that have to be seen everyday and we want to double check our lists. We also want to make sure that in the event that a backup caregiver has to visit a receiver they have all the information they need at their finger tips.

A second action plan for us involves you. We need to know if in the event of abrupt loss of staff due to quarantine or illness, which of you can be on call to temporarily take on more hours. Think of it as being on the SWAT team. This would only be to add your name to our emergency on call list. It isn’t a commitment to take on more, we just need to know who we can call if we need short-term backup coverage. Your territory care coordinator will be reaching out to you this week to share more information.

As always, please contact us immediately if you have any concern about your health or the health of your senior. Gloves, gowns and masks are available from the office, if they become necessary with your client and are not provided in their home.