05/04/2020
We had the opportunity to do a Live Phone Interview this morning with WJER Radio Station, with Ryan Pastircak & Michele Spring to share some information about Ember Complete Home Health Care and our fight against Covid-19 virus.
Thanks Again to WJER 100.9FM.
(Below we have provided some more in depth information regarding the questions from the interview.)
***Can you tell us the services provided by Ember Complete Care in terms of home health?
Ember Complete Care is a family-owned and operated home health care business currently serving patients over 400 patients across 5 counties for the last 32 years. We currently employee 334 people.
Our direct caregiver’s provide services to patients in the comfort of their own home. Our Skilled Nurses see anywhere from 6-9 patients daily to prefer services which may include Infusion Therapy, Wound Care, Lab Work, and assisting with Medication Compliance. Our Home Health Nurse Aides assist our patients with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and mobility. They assist patients with transportation and homemaking needs. Our Physical Therapist provide an individualized plan for our patients to maximize the patient’s physical potential. All these services are essential to maintaining the health and safety of persons living at home. Our staff provide health sustaining services for seniors, people with co-morbidities, and people with disabilities in their homes and who are at increased risk from COVID-19. Failure to receive these health sustaining services will lead to the exacerbation of chronic conditions or disability, leading to emergency department visits and/or hospitalization. The continuation of our patients’ services is critical during this COVID-19 crisis.
***With the Coronavirus response, how has that effected your direct caregiver’s normal day to day routine?
Our caregivers are working to contain COVID-19's spread by helping those most at risk to stay healthy and safe at home. Our workers are often times putting themselves, and their families, at even greater risk for COVID-19 exposure by providing these hands-on services in homes and community.This virus has required us to tackle a lot questions and reevaluate how we provide services. We have had to prioritize what patients to see. We have changed our protocol to include calling patients prior to visits to confirm no one in the home has had signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Our staff is required to walk into an uncontrolled environment. Our caregivers are not only exposed to our patients but anyone that lives in their home. We have had to implement new infection control procedures, to include the wearing masks, gowns, and gloves when interacting with anybody with COVID-19 symptoms. Our staff is going above and beyond their normal daily tasks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They are putting in extra time, money, and miles to go to grocery stores and pharmacies for the patients. We have staff going to our local churches and food banks to pick up the free meals for our patients so they don't have to leave their home. Our staff is assisting getting telehealth visits set up with their physicians.
Ember Complete Care has a wonderful caring staff. Thank you to all our caregivers for continuing to provide excellent care during this difficult time!
***With personal protective equipment (PPE) being a major issue, what has it been like in the home health world?
Healthcare workers are already being asked to put themselves at risk, and now we have trouble supporting them with not being able to provide our staff with proper PPE. When the Covid-19 outbreak first started, supplies were hard to find, low in stock, and everything was on back order. We were out driving around hunting and calling all our local pharmacies, grocery stores, auto/mechanical stores, hardware stores, and local schools. Our caregivers and local community have been amazing in helping out and going above and beyond in donating supplies such as mask, gloves, hand sanitizer, and alcohol wipes. We have people in our local community sewing masks and donating them for our employees and patients. We had Superior Clay and Modern Auto & Truck Parts donate boxes of N-95 masks. Claymont and Indian Valley Schools donated sanitizing wipes, masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers. We have caregivers, friends, and families making homemade hand-sanitizers and mask, so we have enough to give out to our staff and our patients.
***Starting today with restrictions lifted, does it change anything in your lives?
No! We need to continue to be cautions. We all need to continue to practice social distancing, hand washing, use hand sanitizer, and wearing of masks. Everyone should continue to monitor their temperatures and stay at home whenever possible.
***How can the community support home health care?
We cannot say enough good things about our wonderful community. They have come together to assist in so many ways. If anyone would like to donate any supplies (masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, fabric, buttons, elastic, rubbing alcohol), we are accepting donations. They can be dropped off at our office or call to make arrangements for pick up.
Thanks again to our local community!
Ember Complete Care
1800 North Water Street Ext
Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683
(740) 922-688
