Connor Kunz at Home Care Pulse asked some poignant questions to two home care leaders in California and New York to get their answers.
First, can home care workers work during lockdown? While it may vary from state to state, the wide consensus is yes. Home care is viewed as an essential business with essential employees who are currently identified as health personnel. While plans could change in the future if the nationwide situation digresses, currently business for caregivers has been declared by some governors as an essential service.
Dr. Lucy Andrews from California said, “One of the most important things you can do is make sure that local and state governments understand that we are essential healthcare providers.” She then continued, “Our staff are there to make sure that those activities of daily living continue. But if those things aren’t happening, where are those people going to go? They’re going to get sick, they’re going to fall, and they’re ultimately going to clog the healthcare system. And the last place you want a non-symptomatic elderly person to be right now is in the hospital.”
Consequently, under state lockdown, does demand for home care increase or decrease? Both California and New York have seen slight net increases or little to no change at all since the lockdown began. While there are many families that would prefer their loved ones to stay away from any outside influence, many seniors are moving out of assisted living centers in reference to their own homes. This increases the demand for good caregivers to do their jobs, counteracting the loss in other homes.
Regardless of current standing, future demand for caregiving is expected to skyrocket and the industry must be prepared to meet that demand.
