Hi friends,

We wanted to let you know that we are taking all possible steps to keep our patients and our staff safe. Hospice Austin is participating in regular calls with the Texas Department of State Health Services to stay current on the most recent guidance to protect our patients and employees. In addition, Hospice Austin’s COVID-19 task force, comprised of Hospice Austin physicians and leadership, continue to meet frequently.

Our staff have been vaccinated and are taking all the necessary precautions to keep themselves healthy and continue to provide compassionate care for our patients and their loved ones. We have needed to modify some of our practices in observance of social distancing requirements, but this is not at the expense of patient care.

While we are still welcoming patients and visitors to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House, we have had to modify our visitation policy. You can learn more here.

Hospice Austin is still offering bereavement support to anyone in the community grieving the death of a loved one. You can learn more here.

Please call us if you have any questions or if there is something we can do to help – (512) 342-4700. Thank you!

Resources for Caregivers and Older Adults*

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified adults age 60 and older and people who have severe chronic medical conditions such as heart, lung, or kidney disease to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness. The CDC is recommending that people take the following actions:

• Stay at home as much as possible.
• Make sure you have access to several weeks of medications, food, and supplies in case you need to stay home for prolonged periods of time.
• When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact, and wash your hands often.
• Avoid crowds
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

For family members, neighbors, and caregivers:

• Know what medications your loved one is taking and see if you can help them have extra on hand.
• Monitor food and other medical supplies.
• Stock up on non-perishable food items to have on hand in your home to minimize trips to stores.
• If you care for a loved one living in a care facility, monitor the situation, ask about the health of the other residents frequently, and know the protocol if there is an outbreak.
• Call your Hospice Austin nurse if you any questions: 512-342-4700