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484-380-2999

COVID-Hosts

Aug 7, 2020

COVID-19 Host Information

BEFORE GUESTS ARRIVE

Prior to arrival of patient-families, ‘Hosts’ are provided the CDC-recommended Cleaning Checklist for the mutual safety of Guests and Hosts.

The cleaning checklist

Ventilate rooms before being cleaned

Wash hands thoroughly before and after each cleaning

Wear disposable gloves while cleaning

Stock up on paper towels, disinfectant wipes, disposable cleaning supplies

Thank you for being part of our Community Hospitality With a Heart Program!

Your kindness in providing safe, private-setting lodging to patient-families in need is deeply appreciated.

By us all doing our best,caring about the well-being of others, we each can be safe in our own lives.

Thank you again!

Health and Safety Guidelines

The following guidelines are for lodging providers (‘Hosts’) and guests, based on guidance from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control. You should also continue to monitor government travel advisories and follow local and national guidelines.

These measures cannot eliminate all risk. Especially if you are in a higher risk category, we recommend obtaining professional guidance and taking extra precautions.

1) Don’t travel or host if you’ve recently been exposed to or have symptoms of COVID-19

All Hosts, (including persons associated with the Hosts who may be present at the lodging unit before or during a stay) should not enter the unit or interact with the Guests, and Guests should not check into a unit, if any of the following are true:

  • They are actively infected or have tested positive with COVID-19 in the past 30 days
  • They suspect they are sick or have been exposed and are awaiting test results to confirm or deny a diagnosis of COVID-19
  • They are showing symptoms or are concerned about possible infection of COVID-19
  • They within the last 14 days have had close contact with an individual confirmed or suspected to be infected with COVID-19

2) Follow social-distancing guidelines

During the entire stay, Guests and Hosts should maintain distance from each other as recommended by the relevant regulatory authorities, (e.g., 6 feet). Avoid direct physical contact, with greetings always being without contact.

3) Wear a mask

If Hosts and Guests must interact or if there is a shared common area accessible to individuals outside of the Guest party, all should wear protective face coverings at all times.

4) Wash your hands regularly

Be sure to wash your hands often, especially if you’re in contact with people in the Guest party and are touching surfaces and utensils in a shared space or a common area. Wash your hands properly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, coating your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.

Hosts’ Frequently Asked Questions

How does the HOSTS for HOSPITALS’s lodging service differ from other hospital-related lodging?
Patient-family lodging is provided through a Private-Setting Lodging Network: AirBnBs, carriage houses, in-law suites, unused corporate apartments, vacant homes/apartments, volunteer-Hosts who have a spare bedroom in their homes. This service is available to all potential Guests regardless of a patient’s age, illness or number of people to be Guests.
Who are the ‘Hosts’ who provide lodging?
Lodging is donated by lodging-providers (‘Hosts’) who may be individuals or corporations. Without being paid, both types of Hosts welcome patient-families in need into their respective lodging-properties.
What services do the ‘Hosts’ provide?
Hosts provide a comfortable place to sleep, a clean bathroom and a feeling of home. Sheets, towels, blankets and the like are included, as well as coordination to and arrival at the property. Hosts do not provide meals or transportation–these are the responsibility of the Guests. Prior to arrival, Hosts will have the opportunity by phone or email to discuss with Guests matters related to staying at the property.
For which medical facilities does HOSTS for HOSPITALS provide its lodging services?
Guests are accepted in association with patients receiving treatment at any medical facility within the area of Greater Philadelphia, including Southern New Jersey and Wilmington, Delaware.
How close does the private-setting lodging need to be to medical facilities?
Depending upon the medical situation, lodging even an hours drive from a given medical facility may at times be helpful to a particular patient-family receiving care at that facility.
What is the process for applying to be a Host?
Persons interested in learning about hosting are invited to call or email HOSTS for HOSPITALS:
• 484-380-2999
• lodging@hostsforhospitals.org
The interests of the perspective Host will be discussed, as well as what the lodging-property has to offer in general in terms of location, number of rooms and beds, times potentially availability, etc. If deemed a good fit, an application will be completed providing greater property detail, e.g., wifi, parking. kitchen use, washer-dryer, etc.
How do Hosts learn about particular Guests in need of lodging?
HOSTS for HOSPITALS sends out a weekly email to all Hosts about patient-families in need of lodging, with Hosts emailing back only if they are interested in lodging one of the patient-families. At times HOSTS for HOSPITALS may also contact a Host directly about lodging a particular patient-family, with no explanation being required if it happens the Host wishes to decline lodging the Guests at that time.
May HOSTS be reimbursed for expenses incurred in lodging Guests?
Hosts may receive a utilities reimbursement of up to $15/night, and a cleaning fee at the end of the guest stay. Both fees need to be stipulated by the Host at the time of making a lodging offer.
Who may be a Guest?
Private-setting lodging is available to potential Guests regardless of a patient’s age, illness or number of people in the Guest-party, as long as the Guests:
• live so far from the hospital that commuting is difficult
• have a permanent home to return to
• are a patient, or are a support person for a patient receiving medical care at a Greater Philadelphia medical facility
• are free of alcohol or other substance dependency, and be without threatening mental health problems
Patients are eligible to be Guests as long as they can be independent, either by themselves or with the help of an accompanying support person.
Do Guests pay for this service?
To help cover the costs of our program, there is a $20/night/per family service fee. The fee is not a charitable donation.
What is involved in the Guest screening process?

Before lodging will be offered, Guests must meet CDC health and safety safety guidelines by submitting an online ‘guest liability release’ form attesting to their meeting such guidelines. Additionally, a personal character reference is required for each Guest age 18 and above. This reference person is usually a physician or other health care provider from the Guest’s home community. The reference is to affirm that the Guest is considerate, reliable, responsible and able to manage independently at the lodging property. The rule of thumb is: would I invite this person to stay in my own home?

What is the process once a Host agrees to lodge particular Guests?
Once Guests accept a lodging offer, Hosts are provided the names and contact information for the Guests. The Guests are then asked to contact that Host within 24 hours to coordinate arrangements for the stay. At this time Hosts and their Guests discuss any lodging guidelines regarding parking, property access, kitchen and/or laundry use, departure, etc. Guests are also asked to confirm the stay with their Host 48 hours before the expected arrival at the lodging property. If either Hosts or Guests need to change their plans, both should notify the other and the HOSTS for HOSPITALS office ASAP. Also, any additional Guests who have not gone through the screening process will not be able to stay at the lodging-property until a reference check is completed for them.
Private-Setting Lodging Form
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