As a live-in care provider, we are at the front-line of social care services supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We know how worrying the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is for our clients, their families and our live-in care workers – it is an unprecedented health crisis across the world which requires us all to take action in order to minimise our risk of catching or spreading this new disease.
Through this blog, we want to inform and reassure our entire Unicare family that we are doing all we can to support you through this pandemic, with the continued safety and wellbeing of our clients at the heart of all that we do.
Caring for vulnerable people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis
Many people are worried about becoming unwell with coronavirus (COVID-19) and trying to access already stretched NHS services.
At Unicare, we view our live-in home care services as an important way of keeping vulnerable people in at-risk groups safe. The most at-risk individuals are believed to be:
- Older people (over 60)
- People with pre-existing medical conditions
- Most of the people we support fit into one or more of these groups and have been advised to self-isolate by following the UK governments shielding advice . Doing this in the person’s own home, rather than going into a care home, is likely to be considerably safer.
Our live in home care is enabling our clients to self-isolate with a trained live-in care worker to support all of their health and care needs, alongside other important aspects of remaining healthy and happy like good nutrition and hydration, maintaining consistent medication regimes and getting restful sleep.
Health conditions that we support
Our live in care workers are fully trained in supporting conditions such as:
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s
- Stroke
- Cancer
- Motor neurone disease
- Physical disabilities
We know that any individual living with one of these conditions will need experienced and reassuring support more than ever at the moment.
Live-in home care: The solution to the mental health and practical concerns associated with self-isolation
One of the issues with long-term self-isolation is the effect it can have on a person’s mental health. Having a live-in care worker in your own home means that friendship and companionship are part of everyday life and loneliness is alleviated. Having someone to talk with over fears and concerns and who can provide reassurance and support is vital to ensure that our older and vulnerable community can self-isolate without feeling distressed by the constant news coverage.
Our live-in care workers also support our clients to continue with home-based hobbies and activities (or try new ones) and keep in touch with family and friends. If the person has access to technology, we can also help to set up important services such as grocery and medication deliveries, alongside enabling the person to keep in touch with family and friends via video calls or messaging services.
How can live-in care help with loneliness?
- Companionship– All social beings thrive off of interaction with other people and when this is taken away it can have a major effect on both physical and mental health. Live-in care provides extra companionship for those who live alone which can alleviate loneliness and its effects, for example poor mental health.
- Security – Many who are lonely also feel a sense of lack of security, and living alone can cause distress due to the lack of feeling safe. Services such as live-in care enables someone to restore their feeling of safety and security as live-in carer workers can ensure everything around them is secure.
- Flexibility– Receiving care at home gives you the flexibility to live your life how you choose to. There are no set times to get up or go to bed, you are able to set your own times for meals.
How Unicare live-in carers can help you:
- Support with medication management
- Cooking, cleaning and other household chores to ensure the living space is kept clean and tidy.
- Care workers are key workers, enabling them to have access to dedicated shopping hours which allows them to shop in a safe way.
Find out more about Unicare Live-in Care Service
If you would like to access our services, please visit https://www.unicare-livein.co.uk , get in touch with our team on 0208 239 6877 or email info@unicarerecruit.co.uk.
We can provide live-in care services across the whole of England and we would also encourage you to visit our testimonials page to read what our clients and their families have said about our services.
Frequently asked questions:
What is coronavirus (COVID-19) and what are the symptoms?
The official NHS website says:
“COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.”
There is currently no vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19), although scientists are working to develop one.
The most common symptoms are:
Fever – a temperature above 37.8C or 100F
Cough – this is most commonly a dry cough
The World Health Organisation (WHO) add that other symptoms can include:
“Aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea.”
All of our live-in home care workers are well-briefed regarding these symptoms and are on constant alert for any of these signs amongst the people they support or themselves.
How can you avoid catching coronavirus (COVID-19)?
All of our live-in home care workers are practicing the recommended hygiene procedures and supporting our clients to do likewise. These include:
- Hand washing: Using soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using a hand sanitiser regularly and especially after being out, when blowing their nose, sneezing or coughing, eating or handling food.
- Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in a bin and washing their hands.
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home.
If you have any further concerns you can visit the NHS coronavirus advice page or call their helpline on 111. The NHS also have an online facility to check your symptoms fast if you have any worries.