they Come from? Or not? Wednesday is shift change at the company home care service in Wallisellen. A part of the foreign employees, who serve in the Switzerland of old people around-the-clock, go home. Others come to their service.
runs But on this Wednesday of this change is not as smooth as otherwise. The Coronavirus-crisis blocked the routes. A staff member from Poland and one from Slovakia, wanted to fly to Zurich. The flights were cancelled. But what if the supervisor does not come inside? “That would be very difficult for us,” says Executive Director Margaret Stettler, “we have to fulfill contracts. Of course, we try to find in a case other nurses. The care must be maintained.”
The two employees from Poland and Slovakia succeeded this week in Switzerland. But Stettler weiss: The Problem is even bigger. The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary locked on Thursday its borders to neighbouring countries. The own citizens back in the States, but you must then 14 days in quarantine.
the Romanian bus driver in quarantine
other organizations are faced with the threat of a shortage of staff: “Some of the support forces do not want to travel to Switzerland, as the case higher pay than in their home countries,” says Sascha Szilagyi, the owner of the company Viva-Senio in Ormalingen, BL: “are you afraid of Contracting the disease.” In Poland and Slovakia, all schools are also closed. A lot of carers, working in Switzerland, have to home school-age children.
another Problem is that of Care workers from Romania: they came up with small buses in Switzerland, traveled frequently to Italy. Now, many drivers are in quarantine, the bus transportation is at a standstill.
In the case of those nurses who make it despite all the obstacles in Switzerland, should be excluded, that they will bring the Virus. Home care service, Director of Stettler on the phone these days, very often with employees, who will soon begin their service: “How are you? You’re healthy? Have you secured your trip?” Employees of Viva-Senio is measured a fever before you get home in the Minivan in the direction of Switzerland. In the case of two companies we know, however, so far, no cases of infection. Neither customers nor employees.
Strict hygiene measures in the case of the body care
At the 24-hour care protection are to implement measures against infection with the Coronavirus still comparatively easy. The supervisors and their customers live in the same household, the social contacts to the outside are manageable to low.
much more difficult it will be in the care mostly of old people home, home care services. How to protect the nurses themselves? And as your clients? In the case of the financial help could be the true distance, in the case of the body care that is not possible, says a home care employee, who does not want to be called by the name of. Therefore, stringent hygiene measures should be adhered to.
This newspaper asked in the past few days, leaders of Spitex organisations and companies that offer 24-hour care, according to their emergency plans. All of the interview partners are convinced that the crisis will meet with the home care hard. They go by the same scenario: on the one Hand, the need for care and support will rise significantly. “We are already seeing an increase in requests,” confirms Sascha Szilagyi of Viva-Senio: “Many people now want their relatives to the nursing homes to get home.” But younger people need to be in quarantine for medical care.
on the Other hand, in the case of nursing and care organizations in the nearest time the personnel are in short supply. Because employees have been infected. Or because you can no longer arrive from abroad. “We are not in a position to estimate what will happen to us,” outlines Marcel Durst, President of the Association of private Spitex organisations (Association Spitex privée Suisse), the situation: “There is no master plan for this Situation. We have no additional staff that we could conjure out of the hat.”
help from the civil protection
The reactions to the difficult situation are different: There are organizations that appear to be rather clueless and not do much more to distribute than the current recommendations of the BAG to employees and clients. Other work out emergency plans, have suits, a supply of masks and protection for several weeks created and work with the pandemic-along bars of the cantons.
In the case of Spitex Ville et Campagne, in Geneva, a large part of the employees comes from France. The closure of the border would therefore be a big Problem, says store Manager Stéphane Jacquot: “We have created a list with the patients, who are particularly vulnerable. If we don’t have enough staff, need to visit our employees who live in Switzerland, this people first.”
In Thurvita, a non-profit organization that operates in the Canton of St. Gallen, retirement homes, senior housing and home care service, fear rather, is that employees could fall ill on the Coronavirus. For this case, you work on a Plan, “what services can we not go back that are absolutely necessary,” says the Chairman of the Executive Committee, tenders du Bois-Reymond.
He thinks of employment programs for Senior citizens. “If many employees to fail, we can get within 24 hours help from the civil protection.” Civil guards are not trained care professionals. But in emergency situations, “we just need hands that grab can”.
shortage of disinfectants
Also with the civil protection wants to work in an emergency, the Spitex Zürich Limmat river as CEO Christina Brunnschweiler says. Currently, a shortage of disinfectants is preparing your Worries. “In a home can absorb the wash with intensive hands. But we go to the people at home, the conditions there are not always hygienic,” she hopes to have the support of the Federal government.
In the current Situation, Brunnschweiler evaluated both employees and clients as a “very prudent and reasonable.” Nevertheless, you realize, such as the fear increases. Less for the client than with their families: “We get told: “you may but only with a Mouth guard to my mother.”” The supply of masks is sufficient in the case of the organisations interviewed for several weeks.
Created: 12.03.2020, 20:14 PM
