Limited nursing home visits OK
NEW YORK » New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker revealed Friday that nursing homes and long-term care facilities in New York can resume limited visitations for facilities that have been without COVID-19 for at least 28 days.
The announcement comes days after Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin independently began allowing for voluntary in-person visits at the county’s nursing home, the Van Rensselaer Manor Rehabilitation & Nursing.
“This is great news for families who have not been able to see their loved ones at a nursing home for over four months, and for residents in these homes,” McLaughlin stated on the latest developments.
“We appreciate the tremendous response to these visits and look forward to many more safe reunions at the Manor and nursing homes across the county,” McLaughlin added on loved ones being able to be safely reunited.
Upon hearing the news, NewYork State Assemblyman John McDonald III, D- Cohoes, echoed McLaughlin’s sentiments.
“Great news from the NYS Department of Health on the resumption of limited visitation to Nursing Homes,” McDonald stated.
“Residents of long-term care facilities and their families/loved ones will now be able to see each while still keeping all involved safe and healthy!” McDonald added.
According to the New York State Department of Health, residents in these facilities will be allowed two visitors at a time, and the visitors must undergo temperature checks, wear face coverings, and socially distance during the visit. At least one of the two visitors must be at least 18 years of age or older.
For each facility, only 10 percent of the residents can be allowed visitors at any time; for example, in a 100-bed facility, no more than 10
residents can have visitors per day in order to maintain proper social distancing and ensure safe compliance.
Nursing homes accepting visitors will be required to send their visitation plan to NYSDOH and affirmatively attest that they are following proper guidance.
Visits at the Manor started on Monday. The visits are voluntary, last for 20 minutes, and are closelymonitored.
In addition, visits take place under a cover, just steps outside the facility in an entry area with plastic separating residents and visitors.
“Much of what the state is proposing for the visits is now in use at the Manor, and we will continue our commitment to closely watch all visits in the coming days,” McLaughlin explained.
Across the past several weeks, McLaughlin said many families throughout Rensselaer County had been reaching out to him regarding in-person outdoor visitation. Messages McLaughlin said he repeated to state leaders after families had been separated for the better part of four months.
“This shows the power of residents speaking out and seeking action on an important issue. Your letters, messages, and calls made a difference,” McLaughlin noted.
Zucker also announced the resumption of on- site visitation for the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, which provides additional support to residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, effective July 15, 2020.
Ombudsman staff must utilize appropriate PPE for the duration of the visit and must be screened as if they were a staff person of such nursing home, including having to present a verified negative test result to the nursing home within the past week.
The Department of Health adds that they will make adjustments to the visitation policy as appropriate based on fact sand data following this initial phase to ensure the health and safety of residents, staff, and visitors.
“With the knowledge we now have about how COVID-19 came into nursing homes – mainly through asymptomatic staff and visitors through no fault of their own – it is critical that as we resume visitations to these facilities we do it in a smart and cautious way to ensure the health and safety of residents and staff,” Zucker stated on the new policy.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation in each facility, and make adjustments based on the facts and data moving forward. I know how painful it has been for residents of these facilities to endure such a long period of time without seeing family and loved ones, and my hope is that this adjustment to the visitation policy will provide some comfort to everyone,” Zucker added.
In June, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued guidance saying: “Nursing homes should continue to follow CMS and CDC guidance for preventing the transmission of COVID-19, and follow state and local direction. Because nursing home residents are especially vulnerable, CMS does not recommend reopening facilities to visitors (except for compassionate care situations) until phase three when: There have been no new, nursing home onset COVID-19 cases in the nursing home for 28 days.”