Reuniting with loved ones in nursing homes
A lot of things have changed and have been crazy this year due to the pandemic, however, I was pleased to see two things happen last week concerning visits at nursing homes.
It was nice to see Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin step up and find a safe way for family and friends to visit their loved ones in nursing homes by allowing outdoor visits at the county-run Van Rensselaer Manor.
The visits are voluntary, last for 20 minutes, and are closely monitored, according to county officials. Everyone must wear proper PPE including a face mask and the area is santainzed thoroughly before and after each visit. In addition, visits take place under a cover, just steps outside the facility in an entry area with plastic separating residents and visitors.
The way that he explained and set up the guidelines do seem safe and smart.
Knowing from experience just how hard it is to have to see a loved one be left alone without their family in a nursing home, it was good to see this action from McLaughlin.
A few years ago, my late grandmother was in a nursing home in Rensselaer County, although anyone could visit her during the normal visiting hours since she wasn’t in there during a pandemic, it was still hard to know that a certain amount of hours each day she would be left there alone without visitors.
Therefore, I cannot imagine having to go four months or more without seeing her in the nursing home, and I feel bad for anyone that had to suffer through that including, the residents at various nursing homes across the state.
I fully understand why visitations at nursing homes had to be eliminated at the peak of the virus, and it was nice to see facilities adjust by using technology for people to see their loved ones on video chat, however, that isn’t the same as seeing them face-to-face.
It seems logical to allow visitors now at nursing homes since the virus isn’t as bad as it was a few months ago. Having those visits set up outdoors is even more logical since it is warmer outside now, and it seems easier to social distance outside compared to inside a closed indoor room.
A few days after McLaughlin announced he was allowing the outdoors visits at the countyrun nursing home, the state decided to release guidelines to allow limited visitation at nursing homes as well.
This seems like the right time to allow visitors since the area has reached its apex a while ago and since many people predict another wave of the coronavirus will hit the area again this fall, so it would have been awful to not allow people to see their loved ones for nearly the entire year.
I’m sure residents in nursing homes are thrilled to be able to interact with their loved ones again, and I’m sure it’s the same feeling for those visiting their loved ones.