The problem is pre-no-symtoms when someone already has the flu and doesn't know it as symptoms hadn't manifested, thus they can infect everyone around them who hasn't had the flu shot.
We also must note, when one gets the flu shot, it takes up to 2 weeks before it is completely effective. Thus in the mean time, one can still get the flu within those two weeks.
Absolutely not!!! It’s absolutely not appropriate for a caregiver to consider going to work if ill. Most health professionals are required to get flu shots from their management. Anything but that is considered negligence on the caregiver’s part.
Regardless of whether she has had the flu shot or not she shouldn't be around your mom when she is most infectious. The flu shot does not cover every strain of flu. The flu virus mutates over time and the vaccine does not cover every strain. The particularly bad strain this year is most likely not covered by the flu vaccine. My dad got the flu vaccine but he still got the really bad flu.
When my Husband was in Day Care, at a Memory Care Facility, I asked them to let me know if anyone there resident or staff was sick, and I could make the decision to bring him or not. I also told the director that I would NOT bring my Husband if he became ill. Thanks to the one time they did not inform me I spent 3 days cleaning up diarrhea, doing no less than 3 loads of laundry! Yes make it a policy that the care giver should not come if they are sick and tell them you will offer the same courtesy and if your mom is sick you will tell them they do not have to come. (They can choose to come if she is sick if they wish to) I can not imagine that if the care giver is real sick they can not possibly do a good job!
It is her choice if she gets the flu shot or not. It is your choice whether you allow her into your moms home while ill. Common sense needs to come into play here. Anyone who is not feeling well should steer clear of young children and the elderly.
If she wants to Continue to Caring for an Elderly Susecptible Elderly person who can Easily get Sick....Tell her to Pick. Would not Hurt for Her to also get a Pneumonia Shot.
Of course not. Any one who is sick should not be around other people, especially the elderly. The flu kills. I worked in a hospital once where the administrators did not care if you were sick and told the nurses they had to come to work whether they had a sick note or note. Even though they tested positive for Flu A (the worst one) they had to still go in or be fired. Flu B still has symptoms and can be spread but it mimics a common cold and most people do not recognize it as the flu so we see a lot more Flu B in our offices. At least with Flu A, patients are too sick to get out of bed. The flu is a virus which attacks the lungs and can shut down the respiratory system in the elderly, the young, and the 'already-ill' patient.
I agree 100% about the companies who force their workrs to come in when they are ill.....i had a very bad experience like that and ended up missing 2 months and a 10 day hospital stay because someone i worked with was sick and i got pneumonia!!!! Trust me i wrote a not so nice letter to Human Resources too!!!
The flu could kill an elderly person. Or at least send them to the hospital. That will cost $$$. Their immune system is worn out just as their body is. It is not as strong as it once was. It could be very dangerous! Why would anyone come to work with the flu? They would have a hard time doing their job and be a germ factory. There would be germs everywhere. On surfaces and in the air. So they could kill the elderly person they are there to care for and protect? I'd be furious if they came to work like that. Would you let them be around a baby? No. Same as an elderly person. You just dont do it. But perhaps they were worried the elderly person wouldnt have care otherwise? I cant imagine why they would do that.
I don't let ANYONE who has ANY kind of ailment come in to the house with my mom! I too am surprised and a bit outraged by anyone who thinks it's ok to expose others to their illness, whether they THINK it's contagious or not! It's your responsibility to make sure people who are sick stay away, not to mention that you can't afford to get whatever they have either! I know it's hard to find a good caregiver, but I'm thinking that you need to find someone with some common sense.
Has she got "flu" or will she not have shot? If she has flu she will be too ill to work, if she chooses not to have shot then she should be wearing protective clothing, mask, gloves. If she is able to come to work but is ill then send her away, one doesn't go to work when sick so you can breathe your germs all over your patients even if it is just a bad cold.
She should understand that if she is sick with even a cold she should stay away.. Her choice on you shot your choice of she is sick if she works or not.
Nope. Not at all. If she doesn't want the flu shot, fine, but she should not endanger your mother with her flu. Simply stated, she should already know that.
It’s been a long-known fact that colds and flu can be deadly for the elderly. It is just common sense that caregivers be vaccinated. Why is it so difficult for caregivers to employ protective measures such as masks, hand washing, hand sanitizers, wearing gloves? It’s careless, inconsiderate, and in fact, selfish behavior to expose elderly persons to communicable disease, when exposure can be prevented.
I would look for a new caregiver if she or he refuses to get the flu shot. Safety first, I always say. The Elderly always have a tough time getting over things like the flu. Just my opinion.
I would not expose a 91 yr to even a cold. My GFs husband has been fighting pneumonia for over a year. He is taking his MIL to the doctors but not going in. He doesn't expose himself anymore than he has to.
Elderly get pneumonia very easily. Your Caregiver should understand she cannot come into work.
There are signs on the assisted living house where my mom is that says no one should enter if they have flu symptoms. The symptoms are listed. The residents get their yearly flu shots too. So, of course your mom's caregiver should not go to work. When I hired from an agency they sent replacements, which was more work for me to give instructions, but at least my mom wasn't exposed to whatever sickness the caregiver had. And when I'm sick I do not go teach my classes. And I send students home when they come obviously sick. I hope you find someone.
The flu shot would not make a ha'porth of difference if the caregiver already has flu.
And if she really had flu, I don't care how brave and self-sacrificing (or in need of the money) she is, she wouldn't be coming to work. If she is coming to work, then what she has is a nasty cold.
Is this actually about whether your caregiver should be staying away, or a difference of opinion as to whether she should get herself vaccinated?
I would have sent the caregiver home as soon as she arrived, and called the agency, My mother had a follow-up doctors appointment two weeks ago, and her primary care doctor had a bad cold. He sneezed, and blew his nose so loud, and I did not see him wash his hands . I told him he should have stayed home in bed drinking fluids, and resting, he should not have come to work. He was concerned about his cold after he checked her lungs and said he did not want to give the cold to her. My mother did not catch his bad cold, thank goodness. I just think the medical and nursing field should think of the patients, and make every effort to protect them, if they want to go to work wear a mask!! He should have known better. We all get the flu shot in our family and limit contact with others during the flu season.
Thanks earlybird. I'll need to find a replacement for her for at least a week or so until all the symptoms are gone. If she's not fully recovered, she'll need to wear the mask.
It is her duty to NOT come to your house when she has the flu as it may be passed on to your mother. I had someone cancel out to come over because she was sick. It is only prudent to not expose the elderly to the flu or any sort of sickness.
One can have the flu without the symptoms for a couple of days until the flu finally crashes them, thus pass the virus onto others around them, even passing the virus to you. Unfortunately, your Mom could come down with the flu if the caregiver was with her during the pre-no-symptom days.
Then caregiver should get a seasonal job. Flu season, something completely unrelated to caregiving. Home Depot and Walmart need lots of help this time of year.
No. I realize that you are talking about in-home, but for assessing fairness, hospitals are now requiring their employees to get flu vaccines. If the employee doesn't (allergy issue or by choice) then the employee MUST wear a face mask at work during the entire flu season. Hospital administrator determines when the mask order stops.
No, your not being unfair. Flu is serious for the elderly.
Usually care workers get Flu shots. TB test and Hep B shots were a have to thing for the nurses I worked for.
If she refuses to get a Flu shot then she will be out of work for about a week. There is a test that can be given to make sure she is not contagious. The aide needs to get to the doctor. We were given something so our flu didn't get worse.
Every caregiver should get a flu shot. I started getting them when I was taking care of my mother. If the caregiver doesn't want to do it, maybe she should be replaced.
We also must note, when one gets the flu shot, it takes up to 2 weeks before it is completely effective. Thus in the mean time, one can still get the flu within those two weeks.
Thanks to the one time they did not inform me I spent 3 days cleaning up diarrhea, doing no less than 3 loads of laundry!
Yes make it a policy that the care giver should not come if they are sick and tell them you will offer the same courtesy and if your mom is sick you will tell them they do not have to come. (They can choose to come if she is sick if they wish to)
I can not imagine that if the care giver is real sick they can not possibly do a good job!
Why would anyone come to work with the flu? They would have a hard time doing their job and be a germ factory. There would be germs everywhere. On surfaces and in the air.
So they could kill the elderly person they are there to care for and protect? I'd be furious if they came to work like that. Would you let them be around a baby? No. Same as an elderly person. You just dont do it. But perhaps they were worried the elderly person wouldnt have care otherwise? I cant imagine why they would do that.
Elderly get pneumonia very easily. Your Caregiver should understand she cannot come into work.
And if she really had flu, I don't care how brave and self-sacrificing (or in need of the money) she is, she wouldn't be coming to work. If she is coming to work, then what she has is a nasty cold.
Is this actually about whether your caregiver should be staying away, or a difference of opinion as to whether she should get herself vaccinated?
During flu season - when they're healthy, they use masks and protective measures to stay healthy.
When they get the flu - they stay home.
One can have the flu without the symptoms for a couple of days until the flu finally crashes them, thus pass the virus onto others around them, even passing the virus to you. Unfortunately, your Mom could come down with the flu if the caregiver was with her during the pre-no-symptom days.
Usually care workers get Flu shots. TB test and Hep B shots were a have to thing for the nurses I worked for.
If she refuses to get a Flu shot then she will be out of work for about a week. There is a test that can be given to make sure she is not contagious. The aide needs to get to the doctor. We were given something so our flu didn't get worse.