The health and safety of our clients, employees and community are our top priority.

Help & Care, LLC is dedicated to our seniors and their families and is taking proactive measures to support our clients during this time. Because older adults are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, we want to reassure our families and staff that we are monitoring this situation closely and taking precautions to help prevent the spread of the virus.

We have emergency preparations detailed for various scenarios to protect the health of our clients, our caregivers in the field, and our office staff. For the COVID-19 outbreak, we have a number of standards already in place that we are enforcing:

Home Care Aide Requirements

1. Regular Hand Washing: Our home aides are trained on good hand-washing techniques. All home aides have received communication to regularly wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Sanitation: All of our home aids will be regularly disinfecting surfaces and ensuring proper sanitation to reduce germs in the home. Please make sure you have surface disinfectant available for use.
3. Traveling Internationally: We are tracking the travel of our employees and watching for those who may have traveled overseas recently. Anyone coming back into the US will not be placed with our clients for 2 weeks after their arrival.
4. In Contact With COVID-19: In the event that one of our caregivers comes into contact with someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19, we will mandate a self-quarantine for 14 days before they can return to work. We will also require a note from a doctor clearing a caregiver to work.

All Help  & Care, LLC employees are keeping an eye out for COVID-19 symptoms which include fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and will communicate to our management if anyone is showing symptoms.

Request For Our Clients & Families

Clients or family members should report to Help & Care, LLC if they:

1. Have traveled to a location on the CDC advisory list OR
2. Are infected or being treated for possible infection of COVID-19

How to Protect Yourself from the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

The following information comes directly from the Center for Disease Control.

Know How COVID-19 Spreads

• There is currently no vaccine to prevent the coronavirus (COVID-19)
• The best way to prevent illness to avoid being exposed to a carrier, who may or may not be symptomatic.
• The virus is thought to be spread mainly from person-to-person.
  • COVID-19 spreads between people who are in close contact with one another (within six feet).
  • It can also be spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or can possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Coronavirus Prevention Measures to Take

Clean your hands often

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Do this especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact (social distancing)

Stay home if you’re sick

• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.

Cover coughs and sneezes

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Or use the inside of your elbow.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Wear a facemask if you are sick

• If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes. People who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room.
• If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.

Clean and disinfect

• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

Safe Grocery Shopping in the COVID-19 Pandemic

This is the most current video for New CDC data, safe takeout food practices, and an updated practice for safe grocery shopping/handling.

Grocery shopping will be permitted in the event of a shelter in place order.

Important Considerations for Shopping During the COVID-19 Pandemic

At the supermarket:

1. Wipe down the cart before loading groceries.
2. Plan ahead with a list of what you need and minimize time spent in the store.
3. Don’t go out if you have a respiratory illness — Find a family member, friend, or volunteer to go in your place.

When you or someone shopping in your place arrives with groceries, leave them outside if possible. If you have to bring them in, do the following:

1. Clean the counter or surface with a disinfectant before loading groceries on them.
2. Divide your groceries into two zones. One section for cleaned items and the other for “dirty” items.
3. Wipe anything that may have come into contact with an exposed hand. Use a disinfectant to do so. This could include medicine bottles, wrappers of vegetables and chips, any plastic items, etc.
4. If someone else is shopping for you and uses cloth (resuable) bags, make sure they are left outside to be washed later.
5. Fruit: Wash in soapy water for 20-30 seconds. Rinse thoroughly.

Important Considerations for Take-Out Dining

1. Wash your hands (have your helper wash their hands)!
2. Prepare clean dishes (or wash them for 20-30 seconds if unsure).
3. Remove wrappers and place food unto clean dishes.
4. Use heat to kill the coronavirus in either an oven or microwave. Hot food is generally safer than cold food.

Stay Informed:

Santa Clara County launched an online COVID-19 screener based on guidelines from public health officials. Please take the time to fill out the online screening to ensure of your safety and health, as well as the risk of spread to your clients: https://www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19/

Santa Clara County residents can call 2-1-1 for information on novel coronavirus/COVID-19 thanks to a new partnership between the County of Santa Clara and 2-1-1. Residents can also receive information on novel coronavirus by simply texting the word “coronavirus” to 211211 and following the prompts provided.

If you need to see a healthcare provider and don’t have insurance, call Valley connections at 1-888-334-1000. If you are experiencing a medical emergency call 911.

Public Health Website:
http://sccphd.org/coronavirus

Public Health Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sccpublichealth/

Public Health Instagram:
@scc_publichealth

Public Health Twitter:
@HealthySCC

For questions or additional information regarding COVID-19 please contact the Santa Clara County Public Health Department hotline at 408-885-3980. This hotline is available Monday through Friday, from 8 am- 5 pm.

We remain committed to our clients and workers and will do whatever we need to ensure everyone’s safety and health.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at any time.

Thank you,

Help & Care Team