I took a respite trip with friends to Iceland for 9 days, returning this past Monday, 2 AM at my house. While in Iceland, several people in our group came down with covid. I masked, stayed away from those infected, arranged a car ride home from airport separate from my friends to avoid contracting it. But, during layover for last leg of return trip I could feel it coming. I went to bed a few hours after arriving home, avoided contact at home with anyone, and tested positive in the morning. I had aids scheduled that day. I stayed in bed confident things were covered. I received a call from agency that they were canceling DH caregivers for the week. I was too ill to even know how I felt or what I thought about that. This afternoon after a couple of days of paxlovid, I realized they abandoned my husband. This is a cautionary tale for me and those relying on caregivers in the home. They may drop you when you need them most.
I called another agency to ask about their policy and it is up to their individual employees to choose. My current agency claimed each aid had decided for themselves. But, miracle of miracles, they now have rescheduled the Friday aid for her usual shift and she volunteered an extra day this weekend.
I think MC must be the only reliable option. What is the wisdom of the group on this topic?
Perhaps agencies should let clients know up front that this may happen , so people are not surprised. I could see people assuming that staff would come anyway and have to just deal with it . But apparently that’s only the case in a facility .
There are also other times people are left without agency care coming . It happens all the time , they get sick too .
I think some people work at agencies rather than a facility to avoid illness , when they can .
As for caregivers and Covid, each caregiver has family and presumably other clients. It's unrealistic to expect them to continue caring for your LO if there's a deadly virus in your home, no matter what precautions you take. Like your caregivers, I am extremely careful that I don't introduce Covid into my home. I won't get on planes, go to a resort, cruise or do anything that would exponentially increase my exposure. It's been that way for four years! Of course people need respite - I certainly do - but my LO's needs come first and he doesn't need Covid. Hiking in a nearby national park, a stay at a VRBO, overnight visits with trusted friends - those are what I would do for respite.
And BTW, I have family members who got on two flights - maybe more - with Covid. They didn't test beforehand (because then they might have to change their plans). They didn't care who they gave it to. They just don't care, period. They fly often, short and long, internationally and other. Just remember next time you fly somewhere, you could be sitting next to them or someone like them.
It absolutely sounds like you did everything you can to protect your family at home, and everyone was safe from getting it. With that being said it's hard for others to trust that. People over or under exaggerate or even having covid, and go to parties or anyplace and not tell anyone, or say or I just have a small cold. So I can't say that I blame them , specially if they have vonerable people home.
MC sounds like a very good option
Call you last minute that they are sick,
Show up late
Not want to come in if anyone in the household is ill.
I hired privately and I hired 2 people so that if one was unable to come in I had a back up.
And if the back up failed I knew I could handle a day or two with no one to relieve me.
When I had my Husband at a local MC facility for Adult Day Care (he was kinda sorta kicked out of the traditional Adult Day program) and I asked the Director of the MC that she call me if there was anything going around the facility I said I would not bring my Husband in, I also told her that if he got sick I would not bring him in. (Lota good that did, he contracted Noro and that weekend I did over 40 loads of laundry between the vomiting and diarrhea!)
If there is an Adult Day Program near you that would help you quite a bit, another way for him to be cared for and also give you a break.
The new strain is not a killer but it is exceptionally infectious. I just heard from a facebook friend that she and partner traveled, got it on plane, sick in hours, and too late to stop its spread to her inlaws and visiting friends. ALL of them now have it without exception.
So basically I am only adding to the warning.
The new shot is out now for any interested in knowing that.
Four free test kits will be available end of the month from the usual site.
People should mask now or not, according to their whim.
Hope we all stay safe and well.