One more reason...

On Thursday, July 1, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a new initiative to get roughly 700,000 more residents vaccinated against COVID-19 by giving away a total of $5 million through the state's vaccine lottery. If you actually needed another reason to get vaccinated here it is. The best news is that even those that already received the vaccine are eligible for the prize money.

How to win the COVID-19 vaccine lottery

You have to be registered to be eligible for any of the above prizes. Just getting the vaccine does not make you eligible for the Michigan COVID-19 vaccine lottery.

To get registered, go to mishottowin.com and click register now.

Once there, you'll have to fill out fields that include your legal name, address, contact information, and your vaccination dates - so be sure to have your vaccination card.

The $1 million will be eligible for the people who receive their vaccine before July 10, 2021. That drawing is expected to take place the next day, on July 11, 2021. The $2 million prize will be selected among residents who have been vaccinated since Dec. 1, 2020, through July 30, 2021. That prize drawing will take place on or about August 4, 2021.

The possible prize makes for some fun day dreaming this summer. And while you are registering for the vaccine lottery, don’t forget to send us a photo of your card. We need to make sure your records are accurate and we also send you a little thank you.

click here to register

Our built-in Emergency phone

 Emergency situations can appear out of nowhere and happen anywhere, so be prepared. Thanks to modern cell phones its easier then ever to get prepared. You just need to know how.

 New Galaxy phones have emergency settings pre-installed. These settings allow you to make emergency calls, activate your phones emergency mode, send SOS messages and more.

 Emergency Calls:

Not enough time to unlock your phone and make a call? No problem, with emergency call setting you can dial 911 right from your lock screen. Just swipe up from the bottom of the phone and a dial pad will open. From there its just like any other call, just faster.

 Emergency Mode:

In extreme cases you may be stuck in a bad situation for hours. By turning on emergency mode you extend your battery life keeping you connected the entire time.

 SOS Messages:

SOS messages are more complicated to set up but are the easiest way to tell someone you need help. By going to SETTING and allowing SOS messages, you only need to press the power button 4 times and a message is sent to your designated emergency contact saying SOS. No need to unblock the phone, no extra steps. Simply press the power button 4 times and help is on the way.

The phone can be a great alternative for your clients that do not want to set-up a Personal Emergency Response device or only have one set up at home. When the SOS is sent, it includes your location in the SOS notice to your contacts.

To learn more: Click here

Change to Covid Questionaires

God is good! It’s an exciting day in Michigan as we rejoice in the progress the state has made in controlling the Covid 19 virus. As you have probably heard, the Governor has lifted all state restrictions effective June 17,2021.

Governor’s Statement

Excerpt from the Governor’s letter: The introduction of highly effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines and the warmer weather have greatly reduced the spread of COVID-19 across the United States. An increasing number and volume of therapeutics are also available, such as monoclonal antibodies, which can help to reduce the severity of COVID-19 cases. Considering the above, and upon the advice of scientific and medical experts, I have concluded that although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute an epidemic in Michigan, certain protective measures and requirements can be lifted at this time. I therefore order that the following Emergency Orders be rescinded effective June 22, 2021, at 12:01 AM: …”

What does this mean to healthcare providers?

As exciting as this is to us personally, professionally we have extra guidelines we have to follow. The CDC guidelines still require that we wear PPE when we are within 6 feet of our clients, even if both of you have been vaccinated.

Covid Questionnaires Changing

While we cannot change the CDC guidelines, MSC has made the decision to reduce the frequency that we ask you about your exposure to Covid. The caregiver questionnaire that is completed during the first shift of the day, has been changed to only be completed one time a week.

The Covid exposure questionnaire that you complete for every client is being turned off.

Neither of these changes represent a change in our policies regarding managing the risk of Covid and your responsibilities. You are required to ask your unvaccinated clients about their potential exposure at each shift and, if you are unvaccinated, you need to notify the office prior to beginning work if you meet any of the exposure conditions.

God has been good to our agency during Covid. We continue to pray for the safety of all of you and our seniors. A key part of staying safe is full vaccination. If you have not advised the office yet of your vaccination, please make sure you do that this week. We do pay you for an hour of your time for going to get it done. If you haven’t yet been vaccinated, we encourage you to consider the value of the vaccination to you and your community.

Announcing changes to our WorkSafe Program - June 1

We are making changes to our employee safety procedures and adding a couple of steps that will work together to ensure you have a safe shift and all concerns or issues are answered promptly.

Home Safety Assessment

First, we have a new home inspection process that we are implementing. Our Care Coordinators will now store their Home Safety Checks online for future access in the event of a question regarding a home and for sharing any special considerations prior to a caregiver being assigned a new client.

Shift Check Out

Shift Check Out will also now ask you how your shift went. There will be two parts to the new check out routine.

• Caregivers will need to indicate if they had an injury-free visit at the end of every shift.

• Caregivers will also answer questions regarding any change in condition of the client.

Frontline caregivers play a critical role in monitoring, reporting, and preventing serious complications among patients with chronic conditions. Change in Condition leverages the protocol developed by Harvard Medical School and provides better visibility into your clients' conditions. We will work with the family once you notify us of your observations to prevent the condition or issue from becoming worse - or better yet work to prevent avoidable hospitalizations.

Return-to-Work Program

If you do have an injury during a shift, we will refer you to the closest Occupational Health Center at Spectrum for treatment. The new WorkSafe procedures also include a return-to-work program to make sure the right steps are followed before you are placed back into a home.

You will see the new Check Out steps starting on June 1. As always, thank you for your amazing work.