Coronavirus Elderly Care

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Fully-regulated care for coronavirus

By choosing Helping Hands as your care provider, you are safe in the knowledge that your care is fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). This means that your care is coming from an organisation that complies with stringent guidelines set by the national governing body. These include providing safe, effective and responsive care, being well-led by the registered manager and complying with safeguarding procedures to protect both our staff and customers.

Here at Helping Hands, we have always prided ourselves on selecting only the kindest and most compassionate individuals to become our carers. This is especially important during a time of uncertainty and worry, but choosing us as your care provider during the coronavirus outbreak will mean that you not only have someone to help with your day-to-day activities at home – you’ll have a friendly face that you can rely on and share any concerns with. After all, care isn’t just about assisting with physical health, it’s also about supporting you emotionally and keeping you mentally fit.

In addition to selecting our carers because of their personal qualities, we ensure that they have the practical skills and know-how required to become a fully-fledged carer. Some of our new recruits have years of experience in health or medical care, whereas others may have decided to give something back to their local community and have a career change. Regardless of their experience, all of our carers undergo a comprehensive assessment and selection process, including a mandatory Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) screening.

Our award-winning training includes modules on manual handling, personal care, medication, mobility support, equality & diversity and first aid, amongst others. To ensure that we follow the latest government guidelines on Covid-19, we are putting extra precautionary measures in place for our assessment and selection process including using personal protective equipment (PPE) when using equipment and carrying out theoretical training modules online where possible.

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What is self-isolation elderly care?

Self-isolation elderly care is assistance for you or a loved one who is in their more senior years and needs extra support whilst avoid leaving their house. It is a direct alternative to residential care or moving into a nursing home, as it allows you to remain in the place you know and love and where you feel safe, surrounded by your home comforts and often a partner or beloved pet.

There are many different ways that a carer can support you at home if you are elderly, such as:

• Assisting with personal care, showering, washing and getting dressed
• Support with your mobility around your home and in your garden
• Going shopping and preparing nutritious meals
• Collecting medicines and ensuring you remain in good health during the Covid-19 outbreak
• Companionship and reassurance during this unsettling time
• Household duties such as cleaning, vacuuming and laundry

Self-isolation can be quite a difficult notion for many people to get their heads round, particularly those that have been advised to isolate for 12 weeks. Having a visiting or live-in carer can provide that extra reassurance you need and also help you cope mentally with the changes you may need to make to your existing routines, such as not seeing friends and family. We’re here for you.

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How do you care for an elderly person who is self-isolating?

Care from Helping Hands primarily focuses on independence and living life the way you want to. However, with government restrictions and advice for those over 70 to self-isolate, you may have to change some of your routines for a temporary period.

But that doesn’t mean that your care isn’t still aimed at promoting your independence. We’ll work with you to find out exactly how you like things to be done, what you need help with and what you would prefer to do yourself. We’ll be completely led by you when agreeing your support plan – so if you need support with getting into the shower but prefer to wash yourself, or if you struggle to stand for long period of time but still like to help with the cooking, we’ll adapt your care around you.

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Home care services for the elderly throughout the Covid-19 outbreak

There are several different options when considering home care during the coronavirus outbreak. Some customers may begin with regular calls throughout the week in the form of visiting care, when a local carer pops in at agreed time during the day to make sure you’re okay and that you have everything you need. They may also help with some light household duties, making meals or even taking your canine companion out for his daily walk.

Alternatively, you may have full-time live-in care, where a carer lives with you in your home and supports you round-the-clock during the Covid-19 outbreak and beyond. There are many benefits to having a live-in carer whilst we are living through the coronavirus epidemic, such as having the same carer every day and your carer only needing to leave your house to buy food or collect vital prescriptions. This may be a great option if you are living as a couple and you both need extra support or if you have complex care needs that require 24-hour care.

Emergency care can also be quickly arranged if you regular caregiver becomes unwell and needs to self-isolate. We can usually arrange for a carer to be with you within 24 hours of your enquiry, so that you aren’t left without the support that you need.