Marion County pandemic stories: Keeping people safe at home

Editor's note: We asked Marion County residents to reflect on their pandemic experience so far. Here's the story of Lisa Capps.

With COVID-19 cases showing no signs of slowing down, the employees at Trilogy Home Health Care are continuing coming to work to provide care for people who need them. The company has 50 clinicians, including nurses, physical therapists and others, covering nine counties including Marion.  

"We made a decision to keep the office functional. We did not shut down," said Lisa Capps, 47, an administrator at Trilogy.

Employees at the agency offer therapy to patients who are homebound, have medical issues, or are in a hospital or rehabilitation facility.

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When pandemic shutdowns happened last spring, home health was exempt. Trilogy employees, like most people who frequently interact with the public, took precautions. Capps said they make sure that masks or face coverings are worn at all times. They wash their hands, monitor temperature and practice social distancing.

Zoom is used for staff meetings and for administration to connect with those working in the field.

"We didn't stop what we were doing. We just wanted to make sure that everyone was safe," Capps said.

A few staff members contracted the virus and were removed from dealing with patients, Capps said. She said those staff members did not get COVID-19 from any patients.

Capps herself has been tested 10 times. Each time it came back negative.  

Employees who had the virus were checked and evaluated. Capps said staff is checked weekly for COVID-19. She said some outside facilities the company serves requires proof that staff is not sick.

For Capps, she said COVID-19 has had an effect on her personally. She said it has limited the amount of times she visits her parents in Miami. When she does see them, she said, they practice social distancing.

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Capps said she likes to travel but COVID-19 has restricted her movements. To connect with others, Capps said, she uses Zoom.

"I'm hopeful by the summer, we're in a better place so we can see family and friends and go to community events," she said.

As for what she and the company can do or would like to do to stop the spread of COVID-19? Capps said they're eager to help the Florida Department of Health in Marion County with vaccinating residents. She also would like her organization to be a place where people can be vaccinated. 

"We're hopeful we can be a part of that," Capps said. "We want to be part of the solution."

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— Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb