Important Updates 3/17

Important Updates: Hi all, We wanted to reach out in order to keep an open line of communication with all of you during these uncertain times. We monitor relevant news from the CDC, Rhode Island Department of Health and the Governor’s Office.

As of today, schools are closed for the week. All restaurants are closed except for delivery or pick up and all bars/cafes are closed until April 17. Gatherings of more than 25 people are not allowed. Doctor’s appointments and dental appointments may not be honored depending on urgency. All the measures instituted by the Governor are critically important in reducing the spread of the coronavirus. They create disruption and uncertainly. One thing is certain for us at Home Instead though. Our mission continues to be the same: To serve and honor our clients, families and caregivers by providing extraordinary care with dignity, compassion and respect. Our clients need us, now more than ever. We know some of you have children or grandchildren to take care of which limits your availability right now. We are doing everything we can to provide the appropriate coverage given the disruption caused by this pandemic. Please keep this in mind when we call or text you with a request for a fill in for a client in need.

In an effort to limit exposure for both you and our clients, we ask that you change out of our uniform and into a clean set of clothes/shoes if you have more than one shift in a day. If you need an additional Home Instead polo shirt or scrubs, please call the office. In the interest of acting quickly on this, we are hereby relaxing our uniform requirement in order to put this measure in place. In other words, you are allowed to change into non Home Instead clothing for your second client if you do not have another set of Home Instead clothing. Please note that every effort should be made to be in uniform with a client who is in a facility and to always wear your name tag in all settings. Also, please remember that we must always follow the specific protocol of the facility where your client is located which is particularly imperative now.

We would like to remind everyone about the FREE telemedicine benefit that we have available for all of you and your spouse and children. We have had this in place for over 2 years and it can be so helpful, particularly now, to be able to get a consultation with a doctor without leaving your home. Please call 866-703-1259 to get a consultation from Healthiest You, our telemedicine provider for FREE. We would also like to remind everyone about the short term disability and life and accident insurance options available to you through Colonial Life. Please feel free to call Colonial Life at 401-539-2990 and ask for Carleigh Gordon.

Thank you for stretching yourselves to help our clients in this difficult time. Please call us and let us know how we can help. We are here to support you, as always. One final reminder: the best way to keep everyone safe when you are on shift is to wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you walk into the client’s home and often during your shift and disinfect surfaces often.

Thank you,

Cris