COVID-19 Update: ASQ Leading The Charge on Vaccinations
Norwich, Conn. - Assured Quality Homecare, recently made a bold move to mandate that all their employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, making ASQ one of the first Homecare agencies to take that leap.
The decision was made days after Connecticut's Gov. Ned Lamont directed an executive order that requires all employees of long-term care facilities to receive at least the first dose of a vaccine by October, 7th 2021. Connecticut has become the latest state to mandate that workers in nursing homes be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Home care workers, by definition, work in very close proximity with the elderly and their family members and other immune compromised individuals.
According to Samanta Roseme, RN BSN, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer at Assured Quality Homecare, “On a typical day, caregivers assist your loved ones with bathing, prepare meals for them, and clean their homes. Many of these caregivers also come into close contact with others in the general public, either because they are running errands that mom and dad cannot do themselves (e.g. grocery shopping) or accompanying mom and dad on visits outside the home.” Both situations mean that these caregivers are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 from their clients or those in public. Further, being in these situations increases the likelihood of transmitting coronavirus to their clients.
As an industry leader, Assured Quality Homecare works diligently to ensure that:
- Our elderly clients are safe
- Our community of family members are safe
- Our caregivers and nurses are safe
The COVID crisis has brought home-based care into the spotlight and demonstrated advantages over facility-based care, especially when infection control is a primary concern.
Covid has changed the landscape of homecare, which continues to evolve as new strains emerge, vaccinations are administered, and research is analyzed.
Homecare Workers (Caregivers) Classified as Essential Workers
The American population is aging rapidly and the demand for home care has increased exponentially. The arrival of Covid-19 and its delta variant has put added strain on the country’s 2.3 million home care workers, whose goal is to help their clients age safely in their own homes. No one wants to contract or spread the coronavirus to elderly or immuno-compromised clients.
Assured Quality Homecare’s decision to mandate the COVID Vaccine to existing caregivers and future applicants came after much deliberation and ultimately from a desire to protect and improve the conditions and well-being of their Caregivers.
We owe our caregivers, our true unsung heroes, our gratitude for the risky and challenging work they perform. As an organization all our policies pre or post COVID are to ensure the safety of our caregivers and recognize that the work they perform is essential to our society,” Justin Soja - People & Service Relations
The updated COVID-19 Vaccination Policy states that due to the nature of the business, where caregivers and staff may pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others that they serve, they require all employees to receive the Coronavirus vaccination. Reasonable accommodation will be provided for Medical and or Religious exemptions.
“If policies improve the experiences and safety of caregivers and home health aids — and by extension their clients — during a pandemic, then we are fulfilling our responsibility to our community,” said, Kelley Roy, RN, Clinical Executive Director for ASQ Homecare/Nursepower
Assured Quality Homecare is building a foundation, setting a standard from which to continue ensuring better conditions for home care workers after the pandemic, a change which could have broader societal benefit.
Progress Update:
In accordance with the 09/27/2021 Connecticut Long-Term Care Workers Covid Vaccine Mandate, Assured Quality Homecare is 100% compliant.
Assured Quality Homecare LLC (ASQ Homecare) is an award-winning home care agency and leader among home care agencies in Connecticut. They are a nationally recognized Best of Homecare® Company, a three-time Employer of Choice award recipient, and a two-time recipient of the Best of Readers Choice Top 3 Home Care Agency award and Connecticut's World's Greatest! Homecare Agency.
For more information on ASQ Homecare, visit www.asqhomecare.com or call 860-373-0428.
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About Caleb Roseme
Caleb Roseme is the Homecare Executive Director at Assured Quality Homecare. Caleb oversees the home care agency's operations, ensuring that all systems are in place and that everything flows smoothly. Caleb graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University Of Connecticut in 2007 and has a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification from his eight years of working as quality assurance and process engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat. Caleb is married and, together with his wife, is raising three beautiful children. You can find Caleb volunteering at his church or community in his free time, reading a personal development book, keeping up with the Boston Celtics, or spending time with his Crossfit community.