How New Wave Home Care is defying the odds of modern in-home care.
It was clear early on that the global spread of COVID-19 posed the greatest threat to elderly populations. Over two months into experiencing the previously unimaginable impacts of the virus in the United States, our country painfully witnesses large portions of this at-risk population left under-protected. A recent Politico article affirms the alarming reality of how a shortage of tests and protective supplies leaves our nation’s elderly vulnerable–especially those who utilize in-home caregiving services. While hospitals and nursing homes struggle to aptly treat senior patients, in-home care companies and their clients receive even less government support in securing the equipment necessary to follow safety precautions.
As an in-home care provider to elderly patients in the Los Angeles county area, New Wave Home Care statistically should have fallen victim to the hardships many other caregiving services are experiencing. But while both patients and caregivers around the country struggle without sufficient protective equipment, our team has thus far defied expectations. With fear of exposure driving countless patients and caregivers to avoid engaging in much needed in-home services, New Wave’s early-action response to COVID-19 has allowed for us to continue care for all of our clients.
As of now, all of our caregivers and clients have remained safe and healthy despite community spread of coronavirus. Undoubtedly, we are benefitting from our ability to provide both our clients and caregivers with the resources needed to minimize exposure. We enjoy this luxury today thanks to our extremely early action in preparing for wide scale spread of the virus.
Our preliminary preparations took place in late February, nearly a month before most other businesses began to build comprehensive plans to address the pandemic. This foresight not only allowed us to gather supplies, but to swiftly begin training staff and clients in how to properly mitigate exposure. Moving administrative staff to remote work, instituting rigorous sterilization practices, and eliminating all unnecessary social contact keeps each individual involved in New Wave Home Care’s services as protected as possible given the circumstances. Our team heavy heartedly acknowledges that these accomplishments are not standard amongst the national home care community right now. As we contemplate our successes in keeping our network safe, we continue to consider how to best face challenges that make in-home care more difficult than before.
Since our initial responses to the COVID-19 crisis, we have also begun to provide a level of support to our caregivers that we believe has a large influence on our recent successes. Our initiative to provide our caregivers with safer working conditions as well as increased benefits may play a big factor in what sets us apart from in-home care services that are struggling to combat current challenges in caregiving. In addition to providing all caregivers with both disinfectant supplies, protective equipment, and the best professional training on how to maximize the effect of these resources, we are also supporting them when off-the-clock with payroll bonuses and no-expense grocery deliveries. During a time when many caregivers throughout the U.S. struggle with financial blows due to the spread of the virus, we are grateful for our ability to increase benefits for our workers. Ultimately, we believe that arranging these services keep both caregivers and patients within the NWHC network happier, healthier, and safer.
As a company reliant on our caregivers, New Wave Home Care regrets to hear the difficult stories of caregivers currently struggling to continue their work due to the COVID-19 crisis. Likewise, we ache for the elderly individuals who are unable to receive the protections needed to mitigate potential exposure to coronavirus.
Like other elderly care organizations, the crisis left us without much time to plan, nor the ideal amount of support in battling this massive issue. However, we are extremely grateful to stand as an example of an in-home care company that has been able to avoid the greatest hardships of caregiving in the time of coronavirus. We are proud to continue providing our care, as well as to continue employing our heroic caregiving team.
To stay up-to-date on New Wave Home Care’s coronavirus safety precautions and planning, please visit our COVID-19 updates.
