Business & Economy

Midland home healthcare business adjusts to COVID-19

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Great Lakes Home Care Unlimited, is a home healthcare business which began in Midland. It has since expanded to open branches to serve people in both Central, and Northern Michigan.  This local family business is owned and operated by the Laming family.  

Head of Marketing and Sales Matthew Laming, said that their business has had to make several adjustments to their normal routine, as COVID-19 restrictions were important to them. 

While not ordered to shut down like other local businesses, the business faced its own challenges.  In its case, it was how to provide safe care for their clients who needed it, while protecting themselves and the clients from COVID-19. 

Laming, who has been at the business since June 2018 said: “The business has been hurt by some aspects of this global pandemic, which I guess is really a common thing for small businesses in the area.  Although, we were not ordered to shut down when Gov. (Gretchen) Whitmer began the stay home stay safe order. We are considered essential business, just like healthcare.”

Courtesy of Great Lakes Home Care

Great Lakes Home Care has had to make several adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Employee Isaiah Saladine said the business had several client call services off.  These services that were cut included in house care for people, both medical, and non-medical care.  This led to hours being cut for many employees.  As well as adding restrictions on who can enter their offices, and how many people can be there. However, business did not completely stop.  

“We still have our caregivers going to the places they are needed if services are still being requested by the client,” said Saladine.  “The goal is to give enough hours to our caregivers to make up for the lost clients during this.” 

The business states on its website that they provide both non-medical care, as well as skilled medical care.  With this, they could encounter patients that are more vulnerable to COVID-19, meaning safety procedures are incredibly important, which was stated by both employees.  Taking proper precautions on keeping staff and clients safe had to be the top priority for the business, said Laming and Saladine. 

“We’ve asked our many caregivers to wear masks, especially if it makes the client feel safer,” said Saladine. “Also, the caregivers answer questions when they clock in about whether or not they were in contact with someone with COVID-19.  If they did, they take 14 days off.