Housen Homecare is dedicated to doing its part to slow the spread of COVID-19. As such, our entire organization—from corporate staff to home health aides—employs COVID-19 Safety Practices based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control, the State of Maryland Governor’s Office, and county governments where we serve.

Housen Homecare’s COVID-19 Safety Practices

At Housen Homecare, the health and welfare of our clients are our chief concerns. As our society navigates the deadly threat posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, we have instituted practices to help ensure the safety of our clients receiving homecare services. These practices are based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control, guiding principles outlined in Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery, a report released by Governor Hogan in April 2020, as well as ordinances passed in counties where we serve. To ensure the continued safety of our clients and employees, we regularly monitor COVID-19 developments and update our practices as new or revised guidelines are issued.

The following is a list of Housen Homecare’s COVID-19 Safety Practices:

• Issuance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We regularly issue PPE to corporate employees and home health care aides who deliver home care services. PPE items include: face masks, face shields, medical gloves, and hand sanitizer.
• Infectious Disease Safety Protocol. Housen Homecare has always carried out an effective protocol to protect clients and employees against infectious diseases. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have updated our protocol to include the following:
  • Enhanced Emergency Preparedness Communications—Housen Homecare hosts regular virtual town hall meetings to educate employees on its COVID-19 safety protocol, share best practices, and provide in-service training to home health aides. In addition, we maintain constant communications with employees via electronic mail, SMS, voice messaging, and postings to our employee Intranet.
  • Staff COVID-19 Screening. All employees are screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, or shortness of breath), including body temperature checks, prior to each shift. Employees who exhibit coronavirus symptoms are instructed to stay home and not report to their assignment.
  • COVID-19 Client Screening. We perform the following safety measures before accepting new clients:
    • We do not accept clients who test positive for the coronavirus during the onboarding/screening process which is conducted prior to the start of care.
    • Prior to assigning a home health aide, we screen potential clients for symptoms associated with the coronavirus.
    • Depending on our findings, we may request that a client be tested for COVID-19 before a home health aide reports to the new assignment.
    • For clients transitioning from hospitalization, we request that they test for COVID-19 before leaving the hospital, and report test results to Housen Homecare.
    • If a new client test positive for COVID-19, home care service is postponed until the client has retested and receives a negative test result.
  • Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting Practices. To maintain a safe work environment, our employees follow CDC recommendations to effectively clean, sanitize and disinfect our offices and clients’ care environment.
• Client Personal Safety Guidelines. To protect our employees, we request that clients follow these guidelines when assigned a home health aide:
  • Follow CDC safety guidelines as they pertain to social distancing and wearing PPE;
  • Minimize exposure to persons who do not live inside the home;
  • Shelter in place as much as possible; and
  • Notify Housen Homecare immediately if they test positive for COVID-19.
• COVID-19 Employee Testing. Prior to reporting to a new assignment, home health aides are tested for COVID-19 upon client request. Employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 are tested at no expense. Those who test positive are omitted from work schedules, required to quarantine for the appropriate amount of time, encouraged to consult a physician, and required to adhere to CDC safety guidelines. During quarantine, employees are placed on paid leave in compliance with guidelines outlined in the federal Cares Act.
• Protocol for COVID-19 Quarantine. Employees who experience one or more of the following scenarios are required to quarantine as recommended by the CDC:
  Direct exposure to the COVID-19 virus through interaction with a client, friend, family member, or by other means;
  • Exhibit COVID-19 symptoms;
  • Test positive for COVID-19; and/or
  • Travel out of the immediate Washington, DC Metropolitan area.

In order to return to their assignments, employees must not exhibit symptoms associated with the coronavirus, and test negative for COVID-19.

• Employees & the Flu Vaccination. To prevent wide spread of the flu, we strongly encourage employees to obtain the flu vaccination as recommended by the CDC, and in consultation with their physician if necessary. Employees who chose to be vaccinated receive the flu vaccination at no expense.
• COVID-19 Contact Tracing. To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, Housen Homecare reports employees’ and clients who have contracted COVID-19 to the local health department and seek guidance on how to mitigate health risks. In addition, we cooperate with health department investigations and assist with contact tracing efforts.

 Maintaining a COVID-19 Free Workplace

Maintaining a COVID-19 free workplace requires vigilance and the cooperation of all Housen Homecare employees. To provide our staff with the proper guidance, we have developed the following policies and procedures to help ensure that our work environment, and the care environments of our clients, stay safe.

If you’re sick, stay home. Employees who believe that they may have contracted COVID-19 and exhibit symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, or shortness of breath) should stay home, notify their supervisor, consult a physician, get tested, and follow CDC quarantine protocol and safety guidelines. Employees should not return to work until the criteria to discontinue quarantine are met and they have tested negative for COVID-19.

Let us know about family members or roommates with COVID-19. Immediately inform your supervisor of family members that live with you or roommates who have contracted COVID-19 and follow CDC recommended precautions.

Maintain a clean office environment. Clean and disinfect your workstation frequently, including desks, computers, keyboards, telephones, handrails, and doorknobs, etc. Dirty surfaces can be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfection. To disinfect your work area, use Clorox bleach or Lysol disinfectant spray or wipes, which are EPA-approved disinfectants for killing SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. For guidance on effective cleaning practices, review the EPA’s Six Steps for Safe and Effective Disinfectant.

Avoid close contact with co-workers and their possessions. Observe CDC social distancing guidelines and maintain at least six feet between you and others. When possible, avoid using co-workers’ equipment, including phones, computers, desks, private offices, work tools, etc. If you must use a co-worker’s equipment, clean and disinfect it before and after use.

Disinfect Clients’ Care Environment. Clean and disinfect areas that you access in each client’s home, including kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and other care environments. Be sure to disinfect high-touch areas such as countertops, kitchen utensils, cleaning tools, phones, doorknobs, handrails, etc.

Report Sick Clients. Home health aides should report any client who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms or is suspected of having contracted COVID-19.

Protect Yourself from COVID-19

• If you are sick, stay home and call your health care provider.
• Observe CDC guidelines for protecting yourself.
• Avoid close contact with persons who appear to be sick.
• Observe CDC social distancing guidelines.
• Wear face masks whenever you’re outdoors, and indoors if you are in contact with others.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Cover your mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing, and use a tissue. Throw used tissues in the trash and immediately wash hands. If you don’t have access to tissue, cough or sneeze inside the fold of your arm.
• Avoid touching your face—specifically your eyes, nose and mouth—with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect your home and workspace frequently using an EPA-approved disinfectant cleaner such as Clorox or Lysol spray or wipes.
• Get the flu vaccine to help prevent getting sick during flu season.

Practice Social Distancing

Social distancing keeps people from engaging in close interactions, which spreads infectious diseases. To help slow the spread of COVID-19, practice social distancing by following these guidelines:

• Always maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
• Avoid handshaking, hugging and other intimate types of greeting.
• Avoid non-essential travel out of state or your metropolitan area.
• Avoid large gatherings indoors or outdoors.
• If you can’t avoid small groups, make sure the indoor area is properly ventilated.
• Work from home if your employer allows it.
• Avoid making unnecessary errands — consider having essential items (i.e. food, retail purchases, household supplies), brought to you via online shopping options, a delivery service, family members, or a community resource.