Ambassadors Caregivers is actively monitoring developments and guidance on novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Ambassadors Caregivers is actively monitoring developments and guidance around the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Currently, we are conducting business as usual though we’ve added additional safety precautions which we’ve outlined below. Additionally, we continue to prepare diligently for all other precautionary measures as needed.

The COVID-19 situation is evolving, and while we do not know what is coming next, we want you to be fully aware of and confident in the ways we have been preparing our teams to work within this higher-risk environment. We feel fortunate to care for our clients in the safety of their homes and we have devoted significant resources and efforts to mitigate possible adverse impacts from Coronovirus. Our COVID-19 preparedness is coordinated as part of our company-wide continuity efforts and is intended to allow us to support our clients’ needs while keeping clients, caregivers, nurses, and all other team members safe.

Keeping You Safe from Coronavirus

Our top priority is the health and welfare of our clients and employees. As a result, we have enacted the following precautionary measures, among others:

Live-In Caregiving:

Many clients may request a live-in caregiver so that they can avoid interactions with the outside world. This could pose an excellent opportunity for caregivers looking for stable work in a single, isolated environment. This requires you as a caregiver to serve the client during the day and sleep in a private bedroom in the client’s home at night, with access to suitable bathroom facilities.  You are not expected to provide care during the night but do need to be available to respond in an emergency. If you are interested in serving as a live-in, please contact the office, and we will discuss this option with you.

Regular Employee Screenings:

Your health and safety are our primary concern, so we will be conducting screenings of all of our caregivers, nurses, and other team members 2x per week for the next several weeks. We will continue to re-evaluate the ongoing frequency and necessity of these screenings. Every employee will be screened for the following risk factors, and all screenings will be documented:

1. Have you traveled to any of the CDC’s level 3 travel advisory list in the last two weeks? The level 3 list changes often and the most up-to-date locations will be found at this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices
2. Exhibiting flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
3. Come into contact with someone who is believed to have Coronovirus. “Close contact” is defined by the CDC Guidelines as:
   • Being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case; or
   • Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a Coronovirus case (e.g., being coughed on)

Caregiver Quarantining:

We will be abiding by CDC recommendations by preventing any high-risk employees from serving a client for 14-day period if that employee does not pass the above-mentioned screening. An employee cannot pass the screening if they have (1) recently travelled to a banned country, (2) exhibited flu-like symptoms, or (3) been in contact with someone believed to have Coronovirus per the CDC guidelines above. An employee return to work if they are determined to no longer pose a risk to any client or other employee.

For any caregiver who report symptoms of COVID-19, we will strongly recommend they follow the CDC guidelines for What To Do If You Are Sick, and immediately contact their doctor for further instruction.

As part of our commitment to our caregivers, we have enacted a policy to ensure that any caregiver who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is individually asked to self-isolate by a public health authority will receive financial assistance for up to 14 days while their ability to serve our clients is on hold.

Protecting Clients in Their Homes:

In addition to the documented care plan of each client, every employee will be required to follow a COVID-19 protocol for every visit in a client’s home, including:

• Wiping down all metal surfaces with disinfectant at the beginning and end of each visit;
• Ensuring the client’s and care provider’s regular and rigorous hand washing with anti-bacterial soap during the visit;
• Ensuring adequate hydration of the client.

For any clients who report symptoms of Coronovirus, we will recommend they follow the CDC guidelines for What To Do If You Are Sick, and immediately contact their doctor for further instruction.

Preparing You:

We are currently stocking up on items in the office that will be made available to you for their use I the field. These include:

• Protective gloves;
• Disposable gowns;
• Antibacterial soap; and
• Vitamin-C supplements (Emergency-C).

As always, thank you for being the heart of Ambassadors Caregivers. It is an honor to serve you and your family, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly