Coronavirus: Baudry Therapy focusing on Healthy Habits at home and at work

With the growing concern over the spread of the Coronavirus, we feel it is important to keep our patients informed of the steps we take daily to maintain a safe environment in the clinic.  While these measures aren’t necessarily new, we know that communication is essential during these confusing times.

Our priority is always the health and safety of our patients and employees. We urge our patients to focus on healthy habits that will help keep you, your family and your co-workers safe.

Healthy Habits at Home

We all know that washing your hands thoroughly, keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth, and staying home if you are feeling sick are common sense ways to prevent the spread of the virus.  But just as important, you should be focused on other personal healthy habits:

  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Be physically active
  • Manage your stress
  • Drink plenty of water, less alcohol
  • Eat nutritious food

If you keep your body healthy, it can work harder to fight off any virus that may come.

Healthy Habits at Work

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued enhanced cleaning guidelines, so read up on the latest recommendations to ensure you’re properly disinfecting all surfaces, equipment, and electronic screens. And let your members know the steps you’re taking to keep them safe. Communication is key in an otherwise confusing time.

Cleaning guidelines for surfaces

Follow these CDC guidelines to ensure that your equipment and other surfaces are as clean as possible.

  • Clean frequently. Cleaning and disinfection activities are recommended to occur after each busy hour in the facility, a minimum of three times per day — morning, midday, and evening. All cleaning activities should be logged in your organization’s equipment cleaning schedules, including the details of the product being used (name, concentration, etc.).
  • Wear gloves.Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. Reusable gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and shouldn’t be used for other purposes.
  • Wash your hands. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
  • Pre-clean dirty surfaces. If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
  • Disinfect with alcohol.For disinfection, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. A list of products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims, maintained by the American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries, is available on their website. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method, and contact time, etc.).
  • Remove visible contamination.For soft (porous) surfaces, such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination, if present, and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning, launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely, or use products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims (see list) that are suitable for porous surfaces.

Recommended Disinfection Products for Fitness Centers

In accordance with the CDC recommendations, Baudry Therapy Center is using Signet Neutral Disinfectant (DS1) and Oxivir for our clinic disinfection. Here’s a bit about each.

  • Signet Neutral Disinfectant (DS1): This broad-spectrum, one-step surface disinfectant and cleaner helps maintain a sanitary health care environment. It’s great for use in common areas, hallways, and workspaces, and it doesn’t need to be rinsed when used on food contact surfaces. DS1 specifically protects against Human Coronavirus.
  • Oxivir:This hospital-grade disinfectant is formulated with accelerated hydrogen peroxide technology to deliver fast-acting, broad-spectrum disinfection with enhanced cleaning power. It can be used to disinfect hard surfaces or soft surfaces, such as carpets, cushions, and curtains. Learn more about this product and check out the user guide.

Cleaning guidelines for electronic equipment

The CDC recommends cleaning and disinfecting electronics (e.g., laptops, tablets, keyboards, phones, peripherals) routinely using products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims.

Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products. Consult with the manufacturer about guidance on products appropriate for disinfecting devices and touch screens, and consider additional use of wipeable covers for machines, if possible.  If no guidance is available, consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or spray containing at least 70% alcohol to clean device buttons and touch screens. Use of alcohol-based products may reduce risk of damage to sensitive components.

Our Pledge

We assure you that we are taking this situation very seriously, and your safety and well-being at Baudry Therapy Center is our utmost concern. We will continue to monitor this quickly evolving situation and communicate with you routinely. We are here, and open, to assist our clients as needed.

Life lessons learned at the Special Olympics

A special privilege for the BRIO team

The BRIO team was fortunate enough to participate in the Special Olympics Spring event in Baton Rouge last weekend. While we were strictly there to volunteer, it was US who learned valuable life lessons from these exceptional athletes.

Valuable Life Lessons Learned:

1.) Don’t give up when it gets hard.

Life isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about giving your best effort and enjoying the ride. Some might say that these individuals have been dealt with a “tough hand”, but they don’t see it that way and neither should we.  We can learn from these athletes who have to work harder for everything that they have. But they persevere through it all and they EARN their success and we should, too.

2.) Be grateful for your gifts.

It was truly awesome to watch these athletes, both children and adults, try their hardest regardless of the outcome. They weren’t concerned with winning, rather they enjoyed the competition and still “hugged it out” afterwards. No poor sports at this competition!  It was so refreshing to see the positive attitudes and the larger-than-life smiles following each competition.  They were truly grateful for their gifts.

3) Love others willingly and without reservation.

We witnessed genuine love and appreciation from this group. Their love is infectious and it does not discriminate. We should all strive to imitate their love for others and share their positive light.

It was amazing to watch these athletes find success in their effort, joy from the competition and cultivate friendships with other athletes from across Louisiana. But most importantly, they had fun and that is what it’s all about.

“Being a part of the Special Olympics event was truly a privilege for the BRIO team. It reminded us what is truly important in life,” said Rich Baudry.

A Special Kudos

Shout out to the BRIO team who volunteered their time to perform healthy athlete screens at the Special Olympics Spring event: Kevin Dessauer, Elliott Baudry (Rich’s son), Courtney Blanco (Rich’s niece), Eliza Miller (Jen’s daughter) and a team of physical therapists and therapy students.  Kudos to the the event organizers: Brian Laird, Brock Banos, Katelyn Navarro, DPT, and  Emilie Leslie, DPT. 

About the Special Olympics Louisiana

The mission of Special Olympics Louisiana is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.If you are interested in donating to the Special Olympics, please CLICK HERE.