Workshop on infection control measures for the new corona for home-visit care providers September 16 15:45
A workshop by experts was held in Sumida Ward on the night of the 15th for home-visit care providers to help prevent infection with the new coronavirus.
About 30 people participated in the workshop, including home-visit care providers in Sumida Ward.
At the beginning, Mr. Toru Nishizuka, director of Sumida Ward Health Center, said, "This month, the number of domestic infections is the highest in the ward, and if care workers wait at home one after another due to infection, there is a risk of long-term care collapse. I want you to acquire the correct knowledge and put it into practice. "
Next, Mr. Narumi Hori, an infectious disease control expert invited as a lecturer and an advisor to the Crisis Management Office of the Tokyo Metropolitan Nursing Association, said that if both helpers and users wear masks thoroughly, the risk of infection can be reduced sufficiently. I explained.
He also said that if it is difficult for the user to put on a mask, the infection can be prevented by keeping the face away from the face and assisting from the side or back without standing in front.
He also said that a mouse shield that covers the mouth with a plastic film is also effective when providing services in hot places such as bathing assistance.
In addition, there will be a demonstration of how to take off protective clothing and gloves to be worn when assisting a person suspected of being infected.Since fingers are the easiest to get dirty, take them off with frequent alcohol disinfection and wear gloves. He pointed out that the point is to remove it gently.
Participants asked, "How should we prepare for the simultaneous epidemic of the new coronavirus and influenza?" And Mr. Hori said, "The prevention methods for influenza and new corona are almost the same, and no special measures are required. Therefore, I want you to thoroughly implement basic measures. "
After the workshop, Mr. Hori said, "The difficulty of infection prevention measures for long-term care providers will continue, but there is no need to be overly anxious. Information on what measures should be taken for each region and industry. I want to provide. "
Mr. Yoshio Kotani, the director of the home-visit nursing care facility in Sumida Ward, said, "I realized that it is important to have knowledge about viruses, not to be too anxious, and to be afraid correctly."
Participant "Basic measures are taken, but there is also anxiety"
The home-visit nursing care facility "Helper Station Washoen" in Sumida-ku, Tokyo has seven helpers and supports about 20 users.
Mr. Yoshio Kotani works as a helper while serving as the director of the office.
In order to prevent the infection of the new coronavirus, we take basic measures such as wearing a mask and washing hands when visiting the user's home, but he says that he is anxious.
There is a basic manual for infection control, but there are many points where we do not know how to deal with it.
Mr. Kotani said, "I can't avoid contact because it's a job that I can't do without close contact, such as assisting with eating and bathing and changing diapers. Some users can't wear a mask because they feel sick. I need words, and social distance is difficult. "
We are also concerned about the simultaneous epidemic of the new coronavirus and influenza.
Mr. Kotani said, "After autumn, it may be difficult to tell whether it is influenza or the new corona, even if you look at the symptoms of the user. I am worried about what measures are needed."
In addition, when there is a shortage of helpers at the office and there are many Mr. Kotani himself, he provides 5 home-visit cares a day, but it may be more difficult to secure caregivers as the infection continues. thinking about.
Mr. Kotani says, "Because home-visit nursing care is a job that is inevitably dense, I think that the number of nursing care personnel will not increase unless the anxiety is resolved in terms of its stiffness."
"Home-visit care" is "the last fortress"
With the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the movement of voluntary leave of “outpatient” nursing care establishments has spread, and “home-visit nursing care” has become more important.
According to the long-term care insurance business status report released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on the 1st of this month, an emergency declaration was issued, and in April, "home service" for people living at home, such as day service and home-visit care. The number of people who used the service was 3,836,000, a decrease of 26,000 compared to January, and it can be seen that the movement to refrain from using the service has spread.
By service,
▽ day service for outpatients was 1,077,000, which was 76,000 compared to January, a decrease of 6.6%, while
▽ home helpers and others visit their homes. “Home-visit care” decreased by 10,000 to 971,000, a decrease of only 1.1%.
For those who have difficulty maintaining their lives at home, "home-visit care" is the "last fortress," and it is believed that there were few movements to refrain from using it.