COVID-19 Updates from EveryStep

This page is updated on an on-going basis.

Please check this page regularly for updates on EveryStep's practices, policies and programs during the COVID-19 situation. We are prepared to address your concerns and questions. Please do not hesitate to call EveryStep at 800-806-9934 or email info@everystep.org.

For our Patients, Clients and Community Partners

EveryStep stands behind our promise to be with our patients and clients. EveryStep provides in-person care and home nurse and aide visits to hospice and home care patients who have been diagnosed with (or screen positive for) COVID-19; and continue to serve patients at our hospice house in Des Moines.

Our staff is equipped with all necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure the safety of our patients, their families and our employees. 

EveryStep reflects evolving CDC, IDPH and other regulatory guidance in the administration of our programs and in-person visits/services. We have also provided a wide range of telehealth support, virtual offerings, supply deliveries and resources to ensure all our patients, clients, their families and our program participants safely receive the care and support they need.  

In-Person Volunteers

Effective July 1, 2021, many of the in-person volunteer services offered by EveryStep have resumed, but those services differ among each of EveryStep's programs. To learn whether a specific program currently offers in-person volunteer services - or alternatively, socially distanced support services - please email info@everystep.org.  To view a list of volunteer opportunities that you can do from home, click here.

Public Access To EveryStep's Locations 

EveryStep locations are currently accessible to the public, and masks are no longer required at most locations. However, we request visitors to self-screen for symptoms before entering our locations.

  • Hospice House Visitors - EveryStep has revised its visitor guidelines at its Kavanagh House hospice home in Des Moines.
    • Our hospice houses will be open/unlocked from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily. To visit your loved one in the evening or on weekends, please ring the doorbell, and a staff person will greet you.
    • Effective 12/19/22, surgical masks are required of all staff and Kavanagh House visitors. Masks should cover your nose, mouth and chin.
    • When visiting a patient who is COVID-19-POSITIVE, only 3 visitors are allowed in the building at a time. Visits are limited to the patient’s room — you may not enter public areas and must leave the building at end of the visit. 

 

 

EveryStep’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

EveryStep is a health care and human services organization. The safety of our workforce and the people we serve is always our number one priority. EveryStep follows CDC guidelines and is committed to a robust exposure control program that is designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to actively protect the health and safety of patients/clients served and their families as well as to promote workforce safety. 

In November 2021, EveryStep implemented an employee vaccination mandate policy to decrease the risk of spread for flu and COVID-19 as an added protection. EveryStep promotes the COVID-19 vaccine as the most effective way to avoid serious health concerns for self and others. 

EveryStep also honors employees’ religious beliefs and medical needs, and the organization offers a thoughtful vaccination exemption review process which respectfully considers employees’ exemption requests. For details about this process, please reach out to hrinfo@everystep.org.

EveryStep provides federally funded and regulated health care services. We receive oversight from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and other regulatory entities; and we honor and support their rules. EveryStep relies on credible sources for guidance, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Polk County Health Department, and the national organizations which regulate programs administered by EveryStep locally.