Our caregiver is like a part of our family. I trust her understanding of the coronavirus situation and know she does everything possible to stay safe. However, she comes here primarily for my own respite and sanity. Should I discontinue her services for now?
She does everything possible to stay safe = oh my God, wonderful.
Should I discontinue her services for now? Absolutely not! Count your lucky stars. Your family is blessed to find such a person. I absolutely would not let her go and risk losing her once the dust settles. Do everything possible to help her and your mom stay safe.
So good to hear some good news.
Is the caregiver taking precautions in her own life on a daily basis? Limiting contact with others and following protocol?
If this caregiver has been coming in to the house for the past several months to ask her not to come now is a little like closing the barn door after the horse has run off. (that's what my Grandma woulda said!)
I guess the other question is can you handle caring for your mom on a daily basis by yourself for the next 2 months? And I guess..would you want to care for her by yourself for the duration? Do you NEED the help?
I would think if the answer to the last question is yes then you have your answer.
And by help I also mean for your sanity. Are you able to get out and get some "ME" time still? If the caregiver is not doing a lot of direct care and you are having her help you do things that you would not do by yourself that is also helping you out...things like clearing out the back closet, going through kitchen cabinets and tossing out items you have not used in the past 10 years.
If all 3 of you are sitting and watching TV for 4 hours that is a whole 'nother thing.
to her/your home washes hands & sanitizes! That will minimize the risk. Risk of no caregiver is much worse than letting someone in!
I would not cut her hours unless she requests it. That might create a financial hardship that causes her to have to find work elsewhere, increasing her exposure.
Stay safe, healthy and sane.
The agency was able to give her more shift.
Better to have one point of contact than all of us going in and out.
If we are talking about saving money then yes cutting hours will help ...but will the caregiver then try to find other work putting everyone at greater risk?
If we are talking about saving the sanity of Scatter 195 that is different and she needs to make that decision if she really does not need the help.