EveryStep’s high precedence is the security and well being of its workers, volunteers and the folks in our care.
EveryStep stands beside the folks we serve, and we’re taking steps to make sure our applications
proceed to supply care and help to our sufferers, purchasers and their households all through the COVID-
19 disaster. A devoted webpage, https://www.everystep.org/about/covid19, provides EveryStep’s response, evolving updates and sources associated to COVID-19.
Because the scenario with COVID-19 modifications, EveryStep has taken each day steps to ensure our workforce is knowledgeable, wholesome and ready to reply.
Over the weekend the scenario round COVID-19 in Iowa modified when the Governor and the Iowa Division of Public Well being (IDPH) communicated that a person examined optimistic for the Coronavirus via “neighborhood unfold,” that means they didn’t contract the virus overseas.
In gentle of this, IDPH made a number of suggestions and primarily based on their new place. Consequently, EveryStep activated its Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP), efficient Sunday, March 15, 2020.
Below EveryStep’s EPP, the group will take measured and very important steps to make sure the security of our workers, volunteers, purchasers, sufferers and their households. Whereas we proceed to function a lot of our applications and companies as regular, some have been impacted by the brand new scenario.
EveryStep is evaluating other ways to supply help to its sufferers/purchasers, together with the usage of digital communication instruments and printed or digital instructional sources.
Worker Preparations and Prevention
As a part of EveryStep’s EPP, workers will likely be tasked with following new well being protocols for their very own well being and that of our sufferers and purchasers. The next measures at the moment are required:
All EveryStep workers who should not self-isolating at residence and are coming into a piece location or finishing residence visits are required to report each day temperature and absence of COVID-19 signs, and report any COVID-19 signs every morning to their fast supervisors. Workers should not permitted to enter a piece location and/or affected person/consumer residence till or until they’re fever- and symptom-free for no less than 48 hours (with out medicine).
If an worker has fast relations who’re experiencing fever, COVID-19 signs and/or have an publicity to or an energetic COVID-19 prognosis whereas dwelling in similar dwelling, the worker might want to self-isolate by staying residence.
All EveryStep workers are supplied details about the danger components for contracting COVID-19. Workers are requested to self-select and sign to their supervisors if they’re figuring out with components which are excessive threat (corresponding to being 60 years of age or older and sure sorts of well being situations). People who’ve signaled excessive threat standing will likely be accommodated and supported for any request for engaging in social distancing.
EveryStep workers are anticipated to observe respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene.
EveryStep can be honoring the practices and protocols put in place by its neighborhood healthcare companions.
Public Entry to EveryStep’s Areas
Now we have made the choice to shut all EveryStep places of work to the general public, EXCEPT the next areas:
Kavanagh Home on 56th Avenue, 900 56th St., Des Moines
Higher Regional Hospice Residence, 1111 Nation Membership Dr., Creston
EveryStep’s ninth Avenue places of work, 1111 ninth St., and Shiny Kavanagh Middle, 3000 Easton Blvd., each in Des Moines, will likely be closed to the general public beginning Friday, March 20.
Our places of work in Centerville, Council Bluffs, Creston, Knoxville, Mount Ayr, Mt. Nice, Osceola, West Des Moines and Winterset, in addition to Shiny Kavanagh Middle, will proceed to have very important workers current, could be reached by cellphone or fax, and can settle for crucial deliveries of provides. Deliveries to our ninth Avenue location will likely be redirected to Shiny Kavanagh Middle. Nevertheless, the places of work won’t be open to most people.
Moreover, EveryStep has suspended all in-person volunteer companies, together with our hospice volunteer visits, Senior Companion program, Amanda the Panda volunteers and people working at our EveryStep Giving Tree thrift retailer, till additional discover. EveryStep is working to creatively determine different methods by which volunteers can help EveryStep applications through the COVID-19 disaster, whereas honoring social distancing protocols.
Hospice Home Modifications
Efficient March 17, EveryStep is implementing new customer pointers at its Kavanagh Home on 56th Avenue in Des Moines and Higher Regional Hospice Residence in Creston. As a result of unfold of the COVID-19 virus:
We’re limiting entry to solely two guests for every affected person at a time. As a result of kids don’t all the time present typical signs of the virus (fever and cough), we’re limiting entry to adults 18 years or older. We acknowledge that it might be necessary for some kids to go to a beloved one for wholesome grieving and closure. If a customer feels such a necessity exists, they’re requested to talk with the hospice home director or different chief on workers, who can safely accommodate the request. EveryStep workers are screening all guests as they enter our hospice homes for attainable COVID-19 publicity or signs. Anybody who could have been uncovered to COVID-19 or is symptomatic in any means, will likely be requested go away, with EveryStep’s sincerest apologies for the hardship and our provides to assist bridge communication between the customer and the affected person. Anybody visiting sufferers – workers and guests – should wash or sanitize their arms previous to getting into a affected person room.
Residence-Visiting Program Modifications
EveryStep operates various applications by which workers go to the properties of our sufferers and purchasers. Like many healthcare suppliers, EveryStep is challenged with securing sufficient provides of critically needed private protecting gear (PPE) and different sources which are very important to make sure the protected supply of care to our sufferers/purchasers of their properties and the safety of our healthcare staff.
Consequently, efficient at midday on Friday, March 20, EveryStep will discontinue home-based visits with sufferers, purchasers and their relations, aside from our residence care and hospice sufferers.
This variation consists of visits within the individuals’ properties, in addition to particular person visits scheduled to happen at our workplace areas. EveryStep leaders are at present creating plans for communication with individuals through a wide range of obtainable tele-health choices, and will likely be in contact as particulars are decided.
EveryStep is now contacting residence care and hospice sufferers/purchasers upfront of workers getting into their properties to find out if anybody within the house is sick, working a fever or reporting attainable publicity to COVID-19.
If a household can’t be contacted previous to visiting the house, no worker ought to enter a house till the occupants are screened utilizing an inner symptom evaluation device. If any member, or present customer, of a family meets the factors, the EveryStep workers member will instantly go away the house, reschedule the appointment and guarantee follow-up cellphone help for the affected person/consumer.
Program/Service Interruptions
With the character of EveryStep’s many applications, we now have made the dedication that conferences, occasions and companies will likely be briefly paused through the COVID-19 pandemic, via no less than Might 16.
Affected applications and occasions embrace grief help teams/occasions provided via EveryStep’s hospice and Amanda the Panda applications, EveryStep Basis’ Recreation On! Serving to Households Transfer Ahead fundraising occasion, the Senior Companion program, the Stork’s Nest program, EveryStep Giving Tree thrift retailer operations and the Play & Study program.
For up-to-date data on cancelations and postponements, go to our web site.