Vaccines: I cut off my nose to spite my face!

Lills

I know there are already numerous discussions on vaccines.  I'll add my story:

My DH is bedbound, is non-verbal, has ALS and is in late-late-late stage dementia.  

He is a veteran and receives (thank goodness) 21 hours of respite service each week.

There was a time when one of DH's regular CNAs left and another time in which a regular CNA broke her ankle and was out for a month  During these times, the service had much difficulty finding available CNAs to serve DH.  

The times were often changed and there would often be a different CNA every day.  A few had never been here so did not know the routine, etc.  I've counted 25 different CNAs since Oct. 

During a routine assessment with the service, I shared with the RN that DH needs to be moved every day.  She assured me she would share my concerns with management.  

Two weeks ago, after a (false) Covid scare with a CNA, I insisted that all CNAs who come to the house be vaccinated. Since DH is on hospice, he is not able to be vaccinated. 

The problem, I believe, is that the unnamed service may not have enough staff who are vaccinated.

 

This past week, the service has been unable to assign a CNA on THREE different days (8/11, 8/14, 8/15).  Not having a CNA here means that DH is not able to get out of bed. 

 

I read a VA announcement that the VA is expanding the Covid-19 vaccine mandate to include more people who come in contact with VA patients.  Since DH's service serves VA patients, will the CNAs be required to be vaccinated?   This may be too late for my sweet DH….

 

One would THINK that one needs to be VACCINATED to serve the very ill patients!  Geesh!  

Now...I feel I put myself between a rock and a hard place, at DH's expense.  Sorry, DH.  

sandwichone123

Lills,

I see that you are between a rock and a hard place, but I do not see that you put yourself there. COVID has made bad situations worse in so many ways, and yours is one of them. You did not cause COVID and requesting (reasonably, IMHO) that only vaccinated people care for your unvaccinated spouse is not the cause of the problem.

I hope you're able to get well-trained, vaccinated people to care for him soon.

M1

you're not alone Lills, this is a huge problem. The figures are that 40 percent of aides in home health and nursing homes are not vaccinated, and although some of the nursing home chains are now mandating it, the home health agencies are not. I would also insist on vaccinated aides for your safety as much as your husband's, and I would also insist that they mask in your home. But the worker shortage is likely to persist for quite a while. A Medicare and VA mandate would help, as would Medicaid but that varies by state, doubt the feds can do that.

Jo C.

Bless you Lills; you are doing the very best you can; I am sorry this is happening. In S. Calif, the governor has mandated masking and also mandated vaccinations for all indoor healthcare entities; hospitals, NHs, clinics, ALFs, med offices, etc.  This week he went a bit further; the mandate is to now include Home Health, Hospice and any other healthcare entities doing direct patient contact.

BUT . . . there is a political recall election re the present governor within a few weeks. The person who is nose in nose with the governor for who wins the elections has just stated on TV that if he wins the election, the first action he will take is to rescind ALL mandatory masking and vaccinations. 

Omigosh; you can imagine what a stunning declaration that was.  This election has now become a matter of life and death . . . who would ever have thought it. Really concerned.

May your CNA staffing issue be rectified soon, let us know how it is going, we will be thinking of you.

J.