It may seem overwhelming to be part of a hospice center during the COVID pandemic. You’re in an environment populated with people vulnerable to the virus and more likely to suffer complications or death from it.
So what can you do to ensure your elderly or ill patients and staff are safe when COVID is all around us? Here are five important safety practices hospice centers can use to fight against COVID.
- Have a Plan with Someone in Charge
One of the biggest things a hospice center can do is have a COVID plan in place and someone capable in charge of executing it. Here are some things you can incorporate into your plan:
- Keeping staff and residents informed about COVID and COVID procedures at the center
- Vaccination availability
- Supplies order checklists
- Don’t rotate staff between linked hospice centers
- Method of reporting cases
- Information and training on how to carefully monitor cases
- Vaccinate
Now that vaccines for the coronavirus are available, it’s imperative that hospice centers take advantage of them. Try to get as many residents and staff members vaccinated as possible. This will reduce the likelihood of people at the center getting COVID as well as limit the spread of the virus if someone at the center does get sick.
- Stock Up On Hygiene Equipment
Make sure the hospice center has adequate amounts of disinfectant, cleaners, masks, gloves, and any other personal protection equipment or cleaning supplies that can help prevent the spread of the virus or kill it.
Along with this, make sure the equipment is being used properly and that the center is being cleaned frequently throughout the day.
- Regulate Visitors
While it’s a great boost for those in assisted living centers to receive visitors, have regulations in place for when visitors come to see their loved ones. Have visitors agree to not come into the center if they are sick or have been exposed to someone with COVID. Have hand sanitizer and disposable masks available for them to use and restrict the areas they have access to.
Make sure visitors can easily access the information they need to know about what COVID regulations are in place.
- Physical Distancing
Try to maintain a six foot distance between visitors and the residents as well as between residents themselves.
If elderly or ill residents do get COVID, have measures in place to limit their interaction with other residents. It may be possible to keep them in their rooms until they are better. Also, consider restricting certain parts of the center to those who have COVID so that they don’t feel so isolated.
Hospice centers are meant to be safe and reliable places for their residents. Putting these safety measures into action can help keep them safe even with the COVID pandemic going on.
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