Oops, there went September

Fall is here! And WOW, it looks like I missed the whole month of September. I just noticed when I opened the file to write this week’s message that the last message I wrote was Aug 31. I don’t know about you, but time is very hard to track the older I get. Not only do days go by incredibly fast, but apparently so do months. Ughhhhh.

I have a couple of important items to update you on. First, the COVID premium stopped on Sept 30. If the state restarts it, we will follow along, but at this time we do not have any word they are extending the premium pay. As you know, we offered the COVID premium pay on a much broader basis than the state, but we are still using their service dates for the benefit. We will keep you advised if anything changes.

November is Caregiver Appreciation Month and we have historically hosted a Thank You Dinner for all employees and a guest during the month. Due to the pandemic, we will not be hosting everyone at one dinner this year. We still have a Thank You Event planned, but we had to get a little creative this year. More to come on this mystery event in the next few weeks.

The new TEAM pay has been a nice reward for about half of our caregivers. We have shifts everyday that go unfilled that are available to help you get to the minimum weekly 20 hour threshold. Open shifts are offered to you via text and are always available to view on-demand in your ClearCare Go mobile app. If you are not seeing these offerings, please give the office a call and talk with Linda or Mark.

My 5K Turned into a Marathon

Okay, this might just be my favorite quote of the summer…

Life sort of feels like…the 5k Fun Run I didn’t want to sign up for, and planned to walk anyway, has turned into a marathon that I am forced to sprint and comes with no finish line. Good grief, is it just me, or did the race officially just get too long? Laura Phelps

What do you think? As we get to the end of August, I feel like the summer has been so long, yet also suspended in time. Maybe it is that the end of summer is always the beginning of school and yet that was a moving target this year. It some ways it feels like the finishing line keeps moving. In times like this I find it helpful to remember that there is more to the race that the track I am running. When I focus only on the race, I become exhausted. However, when I challenge myself to set my eyes on heaven, the true goal of life, I find the strength to persevere. For me, I am finding my best days are when I look up and not at the track.

Nora and I pray you and your families are well and that you are always able to look upward. We have been offering the new TEAM pay incentive for a month now and more of you have qualified each week. If you haven’t chosen to take advantage of it yet, please consider how making a 20 hour commitment could work in your life. We have been very gratified at how many caregivers have chosen to take advantage of the incentive program. We are still running a waiting list for all new clients, but with your help we have been able to start several families this month. Thank you for all you do.

We Can't Relax Yet

Staying safe during Covid 19 will take everyone’s continued diligence and attention to detail. We were reminded that we are still in the midst of a pandemic this week, when two of our people were contacted as part of contact tracing and encouraged to be tested for coronavirus. While neither person has any symptoms, we invoked our exposure protocol and asked both to quarantine for 72 hours until the results are returned. We thank all of you for your commitment to taking the Covid 19 questions seriously and answering them honestly every day before you start work. Our joint effort will keep us all safe.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for Health has asked that all home care agencies remind their staff that you must wear a face covering while working.

Please remember that face coverings/masks and the clothes worn while providing supports should be changed or washed after each use, especially after providing supports to individuals with COVID-19. You can read the whole letter here.

Stay Safe at the Beach

Staying six feet apart, wearing a mask, and washing your hands are just a few ways you can help slow the spread of COVID-19. This video includes these and more tips for how to stay safe at the pool and beach this Labor Day weekend.