Home-care agency busier than ever during pandemic

Life Care Personal Care in Grafton is helping area residents with disabilities remain at their homes

Moeneek Cannaday
By 
JOE POIRIER
Ozaukee Press Staff

At-home caregivers are faced with a unique set of obstacles in light of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Caregivers are experiencing challenges with access to personal protective equipment, social distancing and hygiene, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. 

Life Care Personal Care Agency in Grafton is trying to meet those demands and help area residents receive vital medical services at home instead of in the confines of a nursing home or rehabilitation center. 

The home health care agency that was established in West Allis in 2013 opened a second branch in Grafton at 1009 W. Washington St. in January.

“I knew there was a need in this area and that’s why we located to Grafton. We wanted to serve another population other than West Allis,” owner Moeneek Cannaday said. 

Cannaday said her business is taking extra precautions during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure clients and caregivers are not infected.

“We’re providing our caregivers with gloves, masks and hand sanitizer,” she said. “We had an in-service training about protecting our workers and also the people we’re caring for because they are more vulnerable to this disease than anyone else.”

The Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce was to have a ribbon-cutting event at the company on April 9, but the Chamber’s Executive Director Pam King said it will be postponed due to the seriousness of the outbreak. 

“They are swamped right now with what they are trying to do and it wouldn’t probably be the best idea to have people in their business. With the nature of what they do, protecting people is important,” King said.

Area long-term health care facilities in Grafton and Port Washington have confirmed cases of Covid-19. Cannaday said in times like these there is a greater demand to receive medical treatment at home because there is less of a chance to being exposed.

“Right now, we’re starting to see a lot of people or their family members and guardians seeking our services because they are afraid of entering a skilled nursing facility,” she said. “We know nursing homes are doing all they can do to stop the spread, but we also know being at home is the safest way to not get exposed.”

The agency serves 25 county residents with about 35 employees.  About 20 of the clients have memory issues or brain trauma. Cannaday said it is vital to have the right caretaker matched with the client.

“At the end of the day, every case is different,” Cannaday said. “Clients can pick and choose their own caregiver and be their own boss.”

In addition to memory and traumatic brain issues, the agency has clients who suffer from diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, mental illness, strokes, cancer and visual impairment. 

Cannaday said the majority of clients live at home alone, which makes the caregiver’s role even more important to provide socialization.         

“They may have a relative or a power of attorney who lives in a different county or state. They may check in or call occasionally, but they are not close by,” she said. “We want our clients to feel comfortable at home and not feel lonely and depressed.”

Cannaday said there has to be a balance between a working relationship and companionship the caregiver provides in order to maintain the quality of care.

“A lot of times you’re dealing with people who are seeking companionship. Sometimes they just want to talk to you and for you to be there with them,” Cannaday said. “When things get personal, sometimes the caregiver gets taken advantage of and they’re not getting the work done that needs to be done and they’re doing things that are not on the care plan.” 

Cannaday said it can be tough for a caregiver to establish a relationship with a client because the health care provider is often construed as a stranger at first.   

“It can be challenging at times, especially when you’re getting to know the individual you are caring for and creating companionship because when you first come to someone’s house they have their guard up,” she said. “It’s very important for our company to ensure we are putting the right person in the right home because switching caregivers with the client will restart the process of getting to know each other all over again.” 

Cannaday entered the health care industry in 1996 as a certified nursing assistant working at nursing homes. She said her previous experience led her to start her own business because she recognized the needs of people who want to live independently in their home. 

“Living in a nursing home is not the same as being at home and receiving services. The benefit is being in the comfort of your own home. It’s somewhere you spent most of your life and you’re familiar with your surroundings,” she said. “I realized that this was something that I wanted to do.”

 

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Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

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