Ohio governor asked to help home health aides amidst coronavirus pandemic

[OhioChick]

Source: Newsnet5

5:45 PM, Mar 17, 2020

CLEVELAND — Ohio's home health care aides and hospice workers are "at a breaking point" amid the coronavirus pandemic and say that additional resources are needed to avert the "collapse" of an industry caring for thousands who rely on it for in-home care.

In a letter sent to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the Ohio Nurses Association is warning that 600 home care and hospice providers in Ohio are in need of "additional assistance" that, left without, will lead to the "collapse" of the Medicaid home care program in Ohio.

The association also raises the concern that "tens of thousands of vulnerable Ohioans could be discharged home care and forced to go to the hospital."

The concerns echo those raised by a Cleveland family currently receiving home care and hospice service.

Read more: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/ohio-governor-asked-to-help-home-health-aides-amidst-coronavirus-pandemic

[deurbano]

1. This is one of the most urgent issues to address in this crisis. The consequences for both clients

and workers could be dire.

[FarPoint]

4. Lets say it....

It can be lethal without Personnel Protection Gear...

[shockey80]

2. This is the first time I heard someone addressing this major problem.

I am a home health aide. I just took myself out of work, unpaid leave. I may never go back because it is so unsafe. There are hundreds of thousands disabled people, senior citizens in their own apartments who get home healthcare.

The workers are under paid, unsupervised. Little or no sick time, vacation time. The workers work long shifts, multiple houses. Some of them work 60, 70 hrs per week just to get by. They are getting little information from management. There is a lack of protective equipment. There is a severe lack of training.

The people they help are in and out of hospitals because of their health issues. The virus is going to spread throughout this profession. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

[Trueblue Texan]

3. I'm a therapist in home health...

...I sometimes do a lot of the same work aides do, teaching patients to be more independent. But I've been waiting for this kind of news. We have had extra training and provided equipment to prevent the spread of covid-19. So far, we are doing ok, but we have only one confirmed case in our county. My company has flat out told us to stay home if we feel ill.

[lagomorph777]

5. Government needs to train up newly unemployed people in this line of work.

And of course, manufacture PPE like it's WWII.