Blog

Safe at home

March 24, 2020
Are you considering home care for a senior or other medically frail person?  Perhaps they would do better at home.  Perhaps you are concerned about the spread of Covid-19 in a facility or your loved one being locked down.  How would you care for them?  BrightStar Care can help.
 
Now more than ever, our commitment to infection control is critical.  As Missouri’s only Joint Commission-accredited private duty home care agency, infection control is in our DNA.  Here’s what we are doing to protect our clients and caregivers:
  • At this time, we have made the decision not to care for any client who has tested positive for Covid-19 or who becomes infected with Covid-19.  Too great a risk of infecting others…
  • Strict handwashing and infection control protocols have been reinforced to all personnel.
  • Gloves, hand sanitizer, gowns and masks (soon to be upgraded to N95 masks) are issued and available to all caregivers.
  • We have placed an emergency Personal Protective Equipment Kit (PPE) in every client's home.
  • All caregivers must certify their lack of exposure to Covid-19 prior to the start of each and every shift.  They cannot clock in without it.
  • All clients and caregivers have been briefed on the symptoms of Covid-19 (and the differences from the common cold and flu), with instructions to notify BrightStar immediately of any Covid-19 symptoms.
  • To limit unnecessary people in the homes, our nurses are doing telephone re-assessments and supervisory visits whenever possible.
  • We have increased the frequency of telephonic check-ins with all clients for spot temperature checks and to determine if critical supplies are needed. 
 Like you, we are serious about slowing the spread of Covid-19, keeping our clients safely in their homes and reducing the admission and re-admission rates into our overburdened local medical facilities.  If your loved ones can benefit from dependable, professional home care either to get them out or keep them out of the hospitals, please call on BrightStar Care at 314-984-8650.  We will follow up right away, develop a safe, effective and client-centered plan of care and keep you in the loop.  We have experienced, CPR-certified caregivers, CNAs and nurses available to help, and right now we can sure use the referrals!