Do you take COVID-19 positive clients?

We are not accepting clients with COVID-19; however, we will continue to care for current clients who receive a positive diagnosis. We have a strict procedure around COVID-19 care as it relates to personal protection equipment (PPE) as well as working with other clients simultaneously. In all cases, we follow the most recently published guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for caring for individuals with COVID-19 or any of its variants.

Do you test caregivers?

We test caregivers when there is cause to test as directed by the CDC and Department of Public Health. Otherwise, we will test on a voluntary basis or when a client family/facility requests it. We use standard-return tests and typically receive results in 24 hours.

We require any caregiver who has been out of the country to quarantine, according to CDC guidelines, and to be tested once the quarantine period has been completed. Once a caregiver has received a negative result or has completed the CDC recommended quarantine period, the caregiver can return to work.

Do you require caregivers to be vaccinated?

Our goal is to have one hundred percent of our workforce vaccinated and we are working towards that goal every day. To make it easier for caregivers to receive the vaccine, we will find appointments for them at their request.

Does the client have to wear PPE?

The wearing of a face mask does protect the wearer to some degree. However, the face mask really protects others from being infected by the wearer. We would prefer that the client wear a mask but truly that is often just not feasible. Therein lies the importance of the plastic face shield which protects the caregiver from having airborne particles come into contact with face, eyes, nose and mouth.

Can we have a loved one tested for COVID-19?

No, not through Kadan. Our resource for testing is purely focused on medical personnel. But we certainly have resources that we can share with you in order for someone to get tested.

How is administration keeping up with the current published guidelines for preventing/taking care of people with COVID-19?

The CDC has done a great job of keeping new information dated and prominent on their website. That, and being a part of various healthcare organizations that send out updates, is how we are keeping up with this important information.

How are you managing the risk associated with the Delta variant?

We follow the CDC’s guidelines on the Delta variant and we will look to the CDC for advice whenever a new variant makes itself known.

What additional steps are being taken to reduce the COVID-19 risk to immunosuppressed clients?

We continue to look to the CDC for advice on this matter. Recently, the CDC recommended that any individual with moderate to severe immunosuppression have a third dose of the vaccine.

Is there a cost to test caregivers?

We do not charge for the first COVID-19 test, but if a client requests an additional test for their caregiver, the cost is $100.

Do you provide PPE to caregivers?

We have, since day one, provided our caregivers with both face masks and a face shield which affords a form of double protection. So, gloves, face mask and a plastic face shield have become our required uniform during the pandemic. Each caregiver receives a monthly supply of PPE in advance of the month’s start whether they are scheduled to work or not.

We also require that caregivers maintain social distancing as much as possible.

What is the protocol if a caregiver/client exhibits symptoms of COVID-19?

We follow the CDC and Department of Public Health guidelines for isolation and testing. Those recommendations have varied since the pandemic began so, as previously mentioned, we stay on top of what the CDC and the DPH are telling us to do in the moment.

Will I be notified if my caregiver has tested positive? If so, what are the next steps?

Yes, you will be notified. Next steps are to follow the current CDC and DPH guidelines. Generally, those guidelines have been to quarantine and monitor for symptoms. Testing right away does not always prove accurate as it takes several days for the virus to appear (if it’s going to) after an exposure. For that reason, we test the caregiver towards the end of the quarantine period. Only caregivers with a negative test result are released to return to work.