Face Masks are now mandatory for Caregivers

Based on the recent recommendation from the CDC all employees of Managed Senior Care and it’s other units, including Seniors Helping Seniors of WMI, are required to wear a face mask when caring for a client. The office has a limited supply of masks available for distribution. The Admin staff will be at the office on Monday morning and Tuesday morning (and Sozo’s on Monday afternoon for Ionia area) for any employee that needs to pick up a disposable mask. A very good alternative and a longer term solution is a homemade fabric mask that can be laundered.

CDC has advised that the use of simple cloth face coverings will slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.  Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure. (see How To video below)

Using a Mask

Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly?

Yes. They should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use.

How does one safely sterilize/clean a cloth face cover?

A washing machine should suffice in properly washing a face covering.

How does one safely remove a used face cover?

Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth when removing their face covering and wash hands immediately after removing.

How to Make a Face Mask

If sewing is one of your gifts, we would appreciate hearing from you. We think it would be a wonderful gift from Seniors Helping Seniors, if we were able to give our seniors a mask too.

Families First Coronavirus reponse - sick pay

There have been a lot of legislative and executive changes announced lately. We want you to know we are doing everything we can to stay current on these changes and support you as you navigate the pandemic and make decisions for yourself and your family. Darcy, Nora and I are reading the alerts and legal briefings daily to make sure we are supporting you correctly. If you ever have a question, please don’t hesitate to contact the office.

While there is an exception in the regulation for small employers like us, Nora and I made the decision to implement the Act for our employees. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. ►

SICK PAY ELIGIBILITY is limited to those who are sick, quarantined due to suspected Covid-19 illness or the caregiver for someone who is sick or quarantined. PAID LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS Generally, employers covered under the Act must provide employees: Up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave based on the higher of their regular rate of pay, or the applicable state or Federal minimum wage. A part-time employee is eligible for leave for the number of hours that the employee is normally scheduled to work over that period. Learn More Here

If you need to take time off, the office will send you a Request for Leave of Absence so that we can understand your reason for taking time off and determine the right instructions to share. There are a lot of nuances to the various aid that is being offered to workers right now and we want to make sure we send you in the right direction.

New COVID-19 features in ClearCare

Mobile App Pre-Shift Message
NOW AVAILABLE

The same message that was added to telephony on March 18th has been added to the mobile app. Upon pressing the "Clock In" button on the ClearCareGo Caregiver mobile app, this message is now displayed:

"If you or your clients are experiencing any fever, cough or flu-like symptoms, please contact your office immediately. Please also be extra careful by washing your hands for 30 seconds with soap at arrival and frequently throughout your shifts."

Please manually update to the latest version of the ClearCareGo app so you will see this message. 

Rainbows made of Gold

Hello April; What a March it has been. Perhaps we were born for a time such as this, but oh my, God has more confidence in me than I often have in myself. But while I might doubt my ability to forge ahead, I never doubt our caregivers. You continue to be the most awesome group of people. The work you do means so much to those you care for, especially in times like these.

While thinking about our email this week, I read a letter to the Editor in the GR Press (excerpts of which are below) that expressed better than I ever could say how valuable you are to those you take care of. So I thought I would just share his words with you this week.

The letter from Mike E, begins “I have a confession to make, something that in the age of COVID-19 seems almost seditious: Daily, up-close human contact is an indispensable part of my life. I use a motorized wheelchair and I need assistance doing the routine things everyone does every day, like getting dressed and getting out of bed and doing laundry and all that. I’ve hired a crew of people to come in and help me do that stuff. Their wages are paid by a state Medicaid-funded program.

If my crew members do not show up, I don’t get out of bed. There’s no way around it….Generally, I think this reliance is a good thing. It’s a good reminder that, no matter what, everything comes down to us all taking care of each other. That’s what’s gotten us humans this far.

The tougher the times, the more important human contact is to me…

My crew members are among those who can’t just hide at home and wait for the “All clear!” because if they do, some people will suffer even more… Full Letter here.

Many days the change from despair to joy is triggered by your presence in your seniors’ life. Thank you for all you do. We are so appreciative of you.