Home care during COVID-19...
I have been struggling with this decision for a few weeks now. The home health aide who my mother absolutely loves has other clients and also has a client in an assisted living facility.
There are a few known cases of Covid in another area of that facility but not in the area that she provides assistance in.
They carefully monitor all the aids daily and are following strict protocols.
The aides wear masks at all times at both places.
The current aide also maintains social distancing as my mom stays in another room while she does the chores in the groceries etc.
The agency has offered to replace her with another aide if we are uncomfortable with the situation.
But then again we would have no idea with whom this person has had contact.
Our other option is for family members to go over and assist her with chores.
Each one of our family households has someone who has not been homebound or is working in and essential business.
My struggle is that if a family member was to give my mother the virus it would be something that no one would ever be able to live with.
Yet what would happen if she was able to contract the virus from an aide?
In our family's case, the aide doesn't come in anymore because of the quarantine rules in our country. I'm the primary caregiver now and live with my father. Luckily, I can still work from home. So my sister does all the grocery shopping and whatnot and have them delivered to us. I can then limit my outdoor trips to the most essential. Perhaps you can look into a similar setup, if possible?
If not possible, it seems like your current aide knows how to take the necessary precautions so you may want to retain her. Just maybe be alert if there are cases reported in the locations where she has other clients.