Visitation expanded for longterm care facilities

One of the most positive changes that the COVID-19 vaccines have brought is opening the doors for expanded visitation at long-term care facilities in Michigan.

Nursing home residents and staff have been among the first in Michigan and across the country to be vaccinated against COVID-19. So the state has updated its visitation order in accordance with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services which updated its federal guidelines on March 10. The Michigan order goes into effect immediately.

“Throughout the pandemic we have focused on protecting vulnerable long-term care residents from COVID-19, which has required physical separation from family and other loved ones,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “The new CMS guidance provides reasonable ways these facilities can safely facilitate in-person visitation to address the needs of residents.”

Testing is strongly encouraged prior to visitation, particularly in counties with medium or high positivity, but not required.

Visitors will be required to wear face masks or other personal protective equipment when required by the facility at all times. In general, visitors will need to

maintain 6 feet of distance from residents.

The order continues to require facilities to:

• Make efforts to allow safe communal dining and group activities for residents.

• Inform employees and residents of the presence of a confirmed COVID-19 positive employee or resident as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than 12 hours after identification.

• Inform legal guardians or healthcare proxies for all residents and post a visible notice in the facility, no later than 24 hours after identification of a confirmed

COVID-19 positive employee or resident.

• Report to MDHHS and the applicable local health department all presumed positive COVID-19 cases in the facility together with any additional data when required under MDHHS guidance.

“While we are still very much fighting this pandemic and seeing some

concerning trends in new cases and hospitalizations, these new changes align with CDC guidance and support families being able to visit their loved ones in nursing facilities,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive for the MDHHS.

CMS guidance says facilities should accommodate and support indoor and outdoor visitation as long as the facility has not had a new COVID-19 case in the last 14 days.

The new MDHHS Residential Care Facilities Visitation Guidance covers nursing homes, home for the aged, adult foster care facilities, hospice, substance use disorder residential and assisted living facilities.