COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The CDC has guidelines in place asking everyone to practice social distancing. However, some older adults depend on others for help with day-to-day tasks. Caregivers are doing their best to stay healthy so they can keep their seniors safe and healthy too.
"You have to spend more time with clients because their families can't come in, so [caregivers] come in because you're allowed to come in and spend time with them so you do what their families can't," said Hillary Yeomans, a caregiver with Visiting Angels of College Station.
Yeomans and other caregivers with Visiting Angels are provided with personal protective equipment (PPE). Caregivers exercise frequent hand washing and disinfect inside each senior’s home.
"(Our caregivers) are about the client, the client's needs and wants to protect their client. They want to make sure that everyone around them is also protected," said Alison Honeycutt, a client care liaison with Visiting Angels of College Station.
Caregivers recognize the responsibility they have looking after seniors. They have changed their day-to-day life so they can limit their exposure and be the healthiest they can be.
"When I go out in public, I keep it at a minimum and I don't do it often," Yeomans said. "I do it to make sure my clients are protected."
Visiting Angels caregivers also provide seniors with tools to communicate with loved ones they can't see during the pandemic. As well caregivers are the point of contact for updating family one each senior's health and well being.