Primary caregivers who live far away and also those feeling burnt out working from home are seeking professional caregivers services

by NUR HANANI AZMAN / pic credit: mycareconcierge.com

WITH older adults being at higher risk of Covid-19 infections, elderly care service providers take it to the next level to keep them safe during the pandemic.

Homage Sdn Bhd offers a home care solution which combines professional caregivers with smart technology that allows senior citizens to age at home with grace, control and dignity.

Country manager PC Gan said there were less people looking for elderly care services when the Movement Control Order (MCO) started in March, but within a month or two, the number bounced back.

“People looking for our services were mostly those feeling burnt out as they not only had to work from home with their children around, but they had to take care of their father or mother as well.

“They are the sandwich generation, caring for both their elderly and young children,” she told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR).

Gan pointed out that primary caregivers who live far away from their loved ones also reached out for support due to travel bans and restrictions.

“Families also use our services to help minimise the risk of exposure to the virus by staying with Homage to get care they need.

“We have recently launched our Covid-19 home swab tests. We are serving a high-risk group and during times like these, people are wary even with a mild fever, cough or the flu, so we can never be too careful,” she added.

Homage also provides senior care directly to the patient or client’s home. Most families engage in in-home care services for post-hospitalisation care and chronic medical conditions.

Common medical conditions include dementia, post-stroke, heart disease, hypertension and cancer.

“Fortunately, we can still travel to and from areas under Conditional MCO and Enhanced MCO, especially in the greater Klang Valley and Penang where most families engage with our services,” she said.

Meanwhile, CARE Concierge Sdn Bhd CMO Anna Chew said among the steps taken to prevent virus transmissions is by implementing lockdowns at the centre and not allowing visitations, even among family members.

“To make up for this, we arranged video calls with the family members, and when the cases reduced, we allowed them to visit with limited timing and only in zoned areas.