Thanking our Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the past week, Americans have experienced a number of immense daily changes in an attempt to curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19. With the virus reaching pandemic status, the United States is no longer watching foreign countries deal with its impacts from afar. Now more than ever, the U.S. is tasked with taking the necessary precautions to cut down on our population’s exposure to novel coronavirus. 

During this time of unprecedented global and community impact, many people might experience great anxiety and fear. As a provider of care services for elderly adults, I myself have been overcome with emotion at many times over the past couple weeks.  Many already know that the CDC and WHO report the coronavirus poses a much larger risk to older individuals. This reality weighs heavily on my conscience, but also reminds me of the critical role that caregivers will continue to play in the wellbeing of many senior citizens. 

New Wave Home Care is committed to continuing services 

With the high vulnerability of our clients in mind, my staff and I began to work overtime three weeks ago–weeks before any wide scale responses took place in the U.S. at large–in anticipation of the impacts of what has since escalated into a pandemic. We have taken on new protocols of increased sterilization and cleanliness, and cut down on office operations as most businesses have. We have also had to think long and hard about the sacrifices many of our caregivers will be making by continuing to provide their services as all non-essential work goes remote or comes to a halt.

The reality is that for many elderly adults, caregiving is an absolute essential service. For individuals who have difficulty with household tasks like meal preparation, hygiene, or general mobility, our caregivers provide crucial non-medical support on a daily basis. Discontinuing these care services in the midst of a pandemic would only further threaten their health and wellbeing. So while many responsible citizens are practicing social distancing to minimize the spread of COVID-19, a number of dedicated caregivers remain in the workforce to provide the support necessary to so many elderly individuals in need of assistance. 

Appreciating our Caregivers

In continuing to provide this crucial support, I want to acknowledge with great gratitude the sacrifices that my caregivers, along with many caregivers across the country and the world, are currently making. Right now, simply showing up to work everyday is a huge feat for these workers. While the whole of society is walking on eggshells, caregivers are putting themselves at risk of coronavirus by breaking a certain degree of social isolation in order to care for their patients. Though many of our caregivers may not fall into a particularly “at-risk” age group, their decision to increase their own potential of exposure to coronavirus in the name of caring for others makes them extremely honorable. 

With this in mind, I have been referring to my caregivers as “angels” for the past few weeks. I find it hard to describe the importance of the work they are doing in any other words. I also see them as angels who are largely going unrecognized and underappreciated by our society, and feel that it is important to express our gratitude for their work during the overwhelming issues raised by the outbreak of COVID-19.  

Elderly Care often goes Underappreciated

In the U.S., a relatively “young” society in terms of population, the needs of our elderly often go overlooked. In a country whose healthcare system falls under constant criticism of dysfunctionality, the geriatric aspect of the system often remains the least acknowledged. Furthermore, the non-medical aspects of elderly care usually receive even less attention. We often remember to commemorate the hard work of doctors and nurses in the medical field without publicizing the non-stop behind the scenes work done by our non-medical caregivers. 

Just like the medical services of our nation’s doctors and nurses, however, many senior citizens rely on their caregivers to maintain their livelihoods. If our caregivers decided not to attend to those individuals, it is hard to say what would happen. In all honesty, I do not want to know what would happen. This is why today, I am thanking all of the “angels” at New Wave Home Care, as well as those around the globe, who continue to show up and provide care for their patients in the midst of all the difficulties brought on by the coronavirus. 

More About COVID-19

Due to the ever-evolving nature of the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to experience uncertainty or even fear during these times. There are many online resources to stay informed about the spread of the coronavirus, but it is important to differentiate fact from misspoken claims about the virus. We want to help you access the most factual information about the coronavirus, and recommend visiting the CDC and WHO websites for updates. Additionally, we will continue to post frequent updates on the New Wave Home Care site. For more information from NWHC on COVID-19, please visit our updates page.