Covid-19 Updates

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Client Safety Precautions

At Help in the Home, the safety of our clients is our number one priority. At a minimum we are reassessing daily what precautions need to be put into place to keep our community safe. The following guidelines have been put in place until further notice.

While our Supported Living Community is not a Long- Term Care Facility or Group Home, we are following the CDC Guidelines for them in order to be proactive in this situation.


In addition to the items recognized by the CDC, we are also suggesting the following ways of prevention to our clients both in the SLC and ISS:

Self- Care

  • Plenty of Rest
  • Water
  • Good Nutrition — Lemon water, Green Smoothies 🙂
  • Fresh air and exercise — Walks are great 🙂

Hygiene

  • Hand washing 
  • Coughing / Sneezing into tissue — Discard tissue and wash hands
  • Disinfect frequently touched areas at least twice daily (Doorknobs, Handrails, Shared Phones ) 

Limit contact with others:

  • Clients are NOT going into group homes and assisted livings*
  • Clients are NOT going to day programs*
  • Clients are NOT going to crowded areas- grocery stores, mall, etc*
  • Clients and staff are NOT using mass public transportation*
  • No handshakes, hugs, kisses on the head or even Elbow bumps
  • We will not be holding any outside tours but we are able to schedule virtual tours
  • Scheduled family visits are currently allowed under the direction of a client’s care coordinator

* With the exception of clients in our transitional house

Our protocol will continue to be holding the community to the most vulnerable person.

Staff to wear a mask at all times.


Individual Support Service Clients:

  • In person visits require masks indoors.

Transition house clients interacting with the other clients in the SLC:


Transition house clients are able to come over to the main house during this phase of opening while wearing a mask. They are not to eat with others as this would require removing the mask. 

General Supported Living Community Clients:

Must be fully vaccinated. People are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or ≥2 weeks after they have received the single dose (Johnson & Johnson).

Wearing a mask when they come to the main house or anytime they are interacting with people from other houses- this includes staff. 

Family Visits: 

Drop-in unscheduled visits are still NOT allowed at this time.  

At the Supported Living Community (pre-scheduled): 

  • We will continue to have family visits scheduled ahead of time through Sign-Up Genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44afab2ca7f8c61-family 
  • Visits should be scheduled a minimum of 72 hours in advance so that we can take care of the administrative pieces and provide approval for the visit. 
  • An email with official approval will be sent to you within 48 hrs of the visit.
  • All visits must be outdoors.  Masks must be worn at all times.
  • With vaccinated visitors, loved ones may hug and go on walks together.  We are pausing eating meals with loved ones. 
  • UNVACCINATED VISITORS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT THIS TIME.

Visits outside of the Supported Living Community (approval required):

  • Written approval is required 72 hours before the outing.  The request will go to Stacy and she will run the risk assessment for the outing.
  • Clients may visit their families in outdoor spaces in the community now, such as local parks. 
  • WE ARE PAUSING VISITS IN FAMILY MEMBERS HOMES.
  • We are still asking everyone to avoid large indoor gatherings, such as church services, because these are indoors and social distancing may not be properly maintained. Additionally, trips to the grocery store are not to happen.

Transportation: 

  • Clients may take Uber/Lyft/Taxi to go to important appointments, when needed. If using this method of transport, clients must be able to have the window open and masks on for everyone in the vehicle.  Please sit in the back of the vehicle.
  • Bus and Metro use are NOT an option currently. 
  • Clients are not able to travel with family/loved ones at this point in time. 

We would go back to Phase 0 if any of our clients or staff were to test positive for covid-19 or if the MoCo Dashboard is no longer trending in the correct direction.  

We continue to monitor the status of cases in Montgomery County and will maintain following health and safety policies that reflect current medical and governmental guidance.

If you have any questions or concerns about our plan, feel free to reach out to Stacy and Rayetta at (866)-967-9994.