Covid-Guards support Jena retirement homes

As of today, Covid-Guards have started their service in care homes for the elderly for the first time. The care support program, which is unique in Germany, aims to systematically assess hygiene routines in inpatient care facilities. Students from the Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences in Jena have been trained for this purpose. They are each assigned to a nursing home. There, they act as contact persons for the nursing management, residents and relatives on the subject of hygiene and coronavirus rules.

The program was initiated by the Jena Health Department and the city's University Hospital "at the speed of light". The tight staffing situation in care homes can make it difficult to implement current coronavirus requirements. In particular, changing daily routines, individual issues or the necessary communication with relatives often present a time challenge. This is where the Covid-Guards will provide targeted support. Their knowledge will be expanded through continuous training in order to provide ongoing and sustainable support at grassroots level in pandemic situations.

The program is funded by the city of Jena. Each student in the program was also given a tablet so that they could, for example, offer opportunities for communication between residents and relatives. The University Hospital and the Health Service are responsible for coordinating the training and scheduling.

Cooperation between the Jena Health Department and the University Hospital in matters of hygiene education has already been intensified in the fight against multi-resistant germs. It was now possible to draw on this strong network and implement the program within six weeks.

Initially, the assignments will run for three months. After that, the need for an extension will be reviewed.

Starting on Monday, the guards will now be deployed. Jana Binting, a student of social work at the Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences in Jena, was symbolically "handed over" at her place of work in Jena-Winzerla. The facility manager of the DRK retirement home "Am Kleinertal" Cornelia Buske is very much looking forward to the collaboration.