Since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020, life hasn’t quite looked the same. We have all had to make adjustments to our routines due to health guidance as well as learn to be flexible as the medical community has learned more about the virus. One thing has remained certain here at Total Care Connections: we are committed to the safety of our clients, caregivers, and the greater community.

Here’s a bit more about our plan for continuing to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as well as to keep our clients, caregivers, and community as healthy as possible.

Stringent Infection Control

The team at Total Care Connections has always followed best practices for infection control. With the introduction of COVID-19, our team has seamlessly adapted even more stringent protocol including:

• Wearing masks when providing personal care or when less than 6 feet apart from clients
• Practicing exceptional hand hygiene
• Wearing all applicable personal protective equipment, or PPE

Plenty of PPE

Our management team has been sourcing masks and other PPE since the beginning of the pandemic, meaning our caregivers always have the PPE they need to stay safe and to reduce the spread of disease. Thanks to our diligent pursuit of PPE, our clients were not burdened with needing to find gloves and masks during the nation-wide shortage.

COVID-19 Screening Practices

Our COVID-19 protocol includes more than just PPE and infection control practices. We are also committed to symptom screening for our caregivers and our clients. This quick process ensures we are catching any potential symptoms of illness so that we can follow up appropriately with testing or isolation precautions.

Compassionate and Careful Care

If a client does contract COVID-19, they will need specialized care and attention from our team of caregivers. Our staff is educated on how to best care for someone living with COVID-19, as well as what signs to look for that indicate the need for emergency services. Further, we are equipped to serve clients who are leaving the hospital after battling COVID-19, doing our part to give them the support they need while they recover.

Battling Isolation

Finally, the coronavirus pandemic has taken quite a toll on senior health. However, it isn’t just their physical health that has suffered. Older adults are also living a much more socially isolated life since March, which is leading to significant mental health challenges. Our caregivers provide a consistent source of friendly conversation and social engagement, keeping our Total Care Connections clients feeling more connected, healthy, and happy.

Even better, our caregivers can help to connect clients with their family members by using technology. We are happy to set up virtual meet-ups for family members and friends; clients love connecting this way and while it’s not as good as an in-person event, our clients leave the virtual experience feeling proud of their new tech skills and more connected to their loved ones.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

As the COVID-19 vaccine begins to be rolled out to first responders, healthcare workers, and seniors, Total Care Connections is working with our local health departments to ensure we are receiving priority for our staff and our clients. We will follow up with information about vaccinations as soon as they become available for our group. Keep up with the latest information, including online registration for vaccinations through Maricopa County, on our Facebook page.

Until then, we encourage everyone to wash their hands, cover their mouths, and keep socially distant (while still waving hello to your senior neighbors).