KREIS BAD KREUZNACH – The Nahe social center, which provides care services to around 250 women and men in the field, serving more than 2,000 customers in 97 municipalities in the district, is one of those companies that continued to open during the corona pandemic. Nursing director Corinna Wirth and her colleagues are aware of this, who ensure around the clock that old and sick people are cared for in a familiar environment and do not have to move to hospitals or nursing homes.
“Our stock of disinfectants has already shrunk significantly and will only last for another 14 days. Our suppliers have signaled that they will probably not be able to deliver supplies before mid-April. We, therefore, hope that the responsible federal and state authorities will provide us with the disinfectants that are indispensable for our operations in good time, ”explains the nursing manager. Thanks to the personal contact with a sponsor of the social center, there is at least the prospect of getting FFP2 face masks that are also urgently needed. “We are very grateful for this,” explains Corinna Wirth, because without these masks, no Corona patient should be treated. She is surprised that the state does not intervene that drastically higher prices are currently being asked for such protective articles and disinfectants.
So far, the nursing staff of the social center has been spared from the coronavirus without exception. On every home visit, they meticulously follow the hygiene regulations, so disinfect their hands before and after. They also always have gloves with them. Face masks are also worn to protect particularly vulnerable patients. Nevertheless, some customers are said to have canceled the nursing service because they are afraid of being infected with Corona or because they can be cared for by non-working relatives due to the virus. “We do not have to register short-time work, we still have enough to do,” said Nursing Director Wirth. “We also cancel childcare and cleaning services if they are not absolutely necessary.” As a precaution, the social center even closed its daycare groups in Hargesheim and Bad Sobernheim in order not to run an increased risk of infection.
New orders are also brought to the social center in cases in which an old or sick person has previously been cared for by an Eastern European assistant. But many of them have since returned to their home countries and their successors cannot and may not enter Germany because of the closed borders. This currently leads to considerable bottlenecks in-home care.
“When we accept new cases, we take great care to ensure that there is no increased risk of the corona. We have to make sure that the person being cared for is not infected and has not had any contact with relatives or caregivers who have previously been in a risk area, ”says the care provider. Because the risk would be too great to then introduce Corona to other patients. “If only one sister fell ill and continued on her fixed tour, the consequences would be dramatic,” says Wirth. Nurses are also aware of this responsibility since after serving they have to observe the same restrictions on private life as other citizens: unnecessary social contacts must be strictly avoided.
She describes the mood of her colleagues as “very different”: some felt themselves at risk and looked accordingly nervous. Others were concerned about job security and their income. Wirth, therefore, hopes to receive unsolicited applications from men and women who have previously worked in the nursing service and now want to do so again – even part-time.
