What is the status of nursing home / skilled care center visits in your area? Are vaccinated people allowed in to visit their loved ones?

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MCHSMH Asked March 2021

What is the status of nursing home / skilled care center visits in your area? Are vaccinated people allowed in to visit their loved ones?

We live in Iowa. Some nursing homes / skilled care centers in our area are allowing loved ones who are vaccinated to come in and see their spouses who are also vaccinated. Some are not.

The skilled care center in which my mother lives is still not considering allowing vaccinated spouses to come in and visit even after the recent CDC proclamation that vaccinated people can meet with other vaccinated people one-on-one. My father has not seen my mother in a year now except for through a window and over the phone.

What entity ultimately decides whether these facilities can allow people in or not?

Assisted Living Coronavirus Senior Housing

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score 0 · Answer 1

I visit my uncle four or five times a week. I had about four weeks last spring when I couldn’t visit and five weeks last summer when my husband and son had Covid. Now my uncle and I both have had the vaccine. Our area has had only four cases of Covid. All four cases were people who had traveled away.

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score 0 · Answer 2

In Virginia nursing homes have opened up with guidance from the VDH. AL just opened this week as they are governed by DSS. Mom is in AL. Just got to be in her room and hug her for first time in a year this week.

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My dad's AL in Virginia is still only allowing scheduled visits in a specially set-up room with masks, plexiglass screen, and 6 feet apart - and this is after they have 97% of the residents fully vaccinated and over 90% of staff fully vaccinated. I kept hoping that once they had everyone fully vaccinated they may open up a bit more, especially for those visitors who are also fully vaccinated but no such luck yet.

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score 1 · Answer 3

I am sorry that snow cat is so misinformed. Do actually do research and do not listen to fearful, incorrect information and then spread gossip which might scare someone else out of getting the safe and lifesaving vaccine.

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score 0 · Answer 4

I know this will go over like a lead balloon and with be highly criticized.
Yet, it must be said.
‘Anyone who is vaccinated is a super spreader, especially for those who have never gotten the virus or showed symptoms.
The vaccine will give those who take it, covid, and unfortunately will be much more virulent than the original strain.
‘Those who took the vaccine will shed the virus, thus spreading it far and wide to others.
For all those who didn’t do their research the so called vaccines are anything but.
They are an experimental gene therapy and not remotely close to being a vaccine.
They literally destroy your immune system and leave you vulnerable to whatever wild virus comes down the pike and will most likely kill you.
I realize this is nothing anyone wants to hear and my post will probably be taken down.
‘But, at least I tried to get the warning out. And no, masks cannot stop any of this.
Once you take the shot, there is no turning back.
It breaks my heart so many have been duped into this. Wish you all well.
God bless.

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This is completely false. I've reported this comment and hope it will be removed. The vaccines being offered are very safe and do NOT give the recipient covid.

(3)

score 1 · Answer 5

In Maryland, our Governor's protocol is limited visitation to NHs.

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score 0 · Answer 6

In CO the assisted living facility was very different from memory care. Different cities with different case numbers and, therefore, different rules. Families at the memory care home were told visits indoors with masks would be allowed if: negative test result 24 hours before the visit (which is actually not possible because it takes longer than that to get results), fully vaccinated, must sit behind a screen 6 ft away, only one visitor in the facility at a time, scheduled 24 hours in advance, screening, no in room visits, etc. But then they had a case within the facility, so back to window visits for 2 weeks.

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score 1 · Answer 7

I northwestern South Carolina we are near a point when visitations can be scheduled. But amazingly vaccinations seem to have had nothing to to with it. Although the state says they will update their guidelines once every LTC facility in the state has been vaccinated. Frustrating for me because my failing Mom has been fully vaccinated for over one month and so have I. I am not pleased with how this has been handled. Regardless, and hopefully, this will soon be over. My mom's place is below 50% capacity. Many very capable people have been let go to make budget. Sad all the way around. Btw, bars are open but not ALF. The old folk need the same lobbiers as the bar owners.

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score 0 · Answer 8

I'm in central Ohio. My mom's memory care facility opened for visitation today. I am unvaccinated. She has had (a mild) case of covid and both doses/shots. Most of the facility has been vaccinated. We were able to visit today inside, in about 3 foot proximity with masks for half an hour. No hugging, which was hard to explain to her based on her dementia, but it was wonderful to see her for the first time in over 4 months.

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score 0 · Answer 9

As soon as you can get get your father out of there, Nursing homes, for the reasons in which I have written a great deal about assisted living and nursing home in aging Care website you will see what I have experienced and the way my loved was not taken care. this facility was High end well known one in New York State During Covid 19 were my wife was infected and died in 2020 terribly Having gone though this I would never put myself or any loved one in them now, their just not safe and unless you can check up on his care which is hard to do.

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I am so, so sorry that happened! Terrible

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score 2 · Answer 10

In mom's assisted living in Illinois, 98% of the residents have been vaccinated, but staff keeps bringing in positive cases. They lock down residents for 2 weeks after a positive staff member. Even during a time when there were no positives, they would only allow 30 min visits in a side room. Never allowed to visit mom's room.
We complained about the lockdown and they claimed that the CDC requires that or the facility loses it's license. Is that true?

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I'm in Illinois as well and I have the same situation with my Dad. They have to follow IDPH guidelines but I know how frustrating it is. I had to place my Dad in the NH the day lockdown began. I have never seen his room. I'm praying we can all hug our loved ones again soon. We need it as much as they do.

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score 2 · Answer 11

I am in Vermont my dad has had both shots of course in the nursing home they begin indoor visits by appointment only in a small room with a glass divider. My shot I will get next week regardless you can still go visit in this little room which isn’t much different than the outside visit through a screen they used to have. I just want to be able to walk in and hang out in his room I’ve never even been inside the home yet as he moved during Covid. I guess this is a small step towards Some type of progress

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score 1 · Answer 12

I'm in Illinois. After all the residents were fully vaccinated, we've been able to take them out anytime. We are able to go up into their rooms with a scheduled time, for a hour, and only twice a week for now. Our MC place still said they do not recommend us taking them out, but they won't stop us either. My mom has sprung to life again, and ready to go!

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You are so lucky! I'm in Illinois as well but still only get window visits with my Dad. I'm not sure how your facility has gotten around IDPH though. But congratulations!

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score 1 · Answer 13

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) decides what the nursing homes do about visitation. There is a weekly meeting between nursing homes and MDH that discusses updates and allows questions. Iowa probably does something similar. You can always contact Iowa Deoartment of Health to get information.

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score 1 · Answer 14

In our corner of TN, I was just allowed to visit my mother in assisted living in her room. From what I've been told, ultimately they have to follow the state regulatory body (CMS). Here the rules are based on resident vaccination status, infection rates in the area, any positives in the facility, and individual quarantine status. Any facility positive will stop visitation until resolution.

It's the inconsistencies that get me. Before the recent opening of visitation, I was allowed to drive my mom to her doctor's appointment in my private car, but I couldn't visit her in the assisted living.

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The inconsistencies are insane!!! When my MIL and FIL were still living my husband and his brother were designated as "essential caregivers" and had to fill out forms, and provide a negative test....1 time! Then they would be checked at each visit that had to be scheduled. When their dad was dying, they were allowed free access, and while Hospice 24 hr care nurse was there he was allowed free access--even though we were in quarantine.

(0)

score 0 · Answer 15

Here in NJ it is dependent up each facility to come up with the best plan to protect it's staff and residents. It also depends on if they already have staff and residents who are currently diagnosed with covid. Some are beginning outdoor visits this week but since staff members go home and interact with their children and have to go to stores, etc. it is still very dicey in terms of allowing visitors and saying things are back to the old "normal". One of our local facilities was covid free for two weeks and ready to go back to full occupancy status when one of the resident's displayed symptoms and was diagnosed with covid. Back to square one.

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score 2 · Answer 16

Here in Oregon, they are pretty strict. Dad just got out of skilled nursing. Been there since May. I was only allowed window visits the entire time. We moved him to memory care. They allowed us in long enough to move things to his room before they transferred him over.

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score 0 · Answer 17

I live in Florida. Visitors are allowed in nursing homes since Oct 2020 as long as no active cases in nursing home (outside of a dedicated COVID wing), adequate staff and supplies, and all visitors wear PPE and follow CDC protocols.

Basically, regulation of nursing homes is under the direction of the state's department of health. After this, every nursing home its own rules and regulations. Check your state and county department of health for current regulations. Then, talk to the nursing home administration about in person visitations. Since you live someplace that gets cold winters, you may be able to get them to consider "porch visit," in-person visits outside with everybody wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart.

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Same here in Texas!

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score 3 · Answer 18

I don’t think elected officials should be weighing in at all. My state elected official put his/her mom in a hotel before closing down and packing sick patients into nursing homes last year. This is a medical issue and should be addressed by medical professionals who say the first vaccine protects at a rate of 84% and the 2nd at 95% (JHU). People need to use common sense. If my mom is vaccinated, she won’t get covid. If I’m not vaccinated, I may get covid (with a 98+% cure rate) but I won’t be catching it from her.

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score 6 · Answer 19

Get jabbed at your own risk. It doesn't prevent you from catching covid, and it doesn't prevent you from transmitting covid. It's an experiment.

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Are you kidding me?

(7)

score 0 · Answer 20

My update- I will be able to visit out doors in 4 weeks, two weeks after my second vaccination.

I attempted to inform the residence that I’ve had Covid and as of mid-February, recovered, but that wasn’t relevant to them.

A nurse that had taken care of my LO before she entered the AL visited last Friday and said she was “good”, and knew her (the nurse).

Still have hope.......

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score 0 · Answer 21

I am fully vaccinated as is dad and EVERYONE, including all staff at his assisted living. They still require all the residents to wear masks while outside their rooms which I think is overkill. They will allow any agency care staff in whether vaccinated or not so... I guess its a good thing that they are careful in the common areas.

They will let me pick him up and take him anywhere I want but they won't let me in his room for more than an hour a week by appointment. Since he is new, this has been an issue because I could have oriented him better than they are.

The county has a rule that says that any non caregiving staff must follow the visitor rules of the facility. Therefore, they blame the county but the visitor rules are THEIR rules.

I am considering getting myself hired by a caregiving agency so that I can come and go. It will cost me their profit and payroll taxes etc but it maybe worth it to my dad.

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At Mom's MC facility in Texas, two designated caregivers (in my case my brother and me who are both fully vaccinated) are allowed to visit Mom inside her room for one hour every other week. I can go one week and he can go the next week and so on. We both can not visit inside in the same week. You are not allowed to leave her room during the visit. You have to wear a mask and gloves. And, for any type of visit, you must sign in and sign out and wear a VISITOR badge. If you are not two weeks past being fully vaccinated, you have to have a negative Covid test within a week before your visit. Every visit MUST be scheduled at least one day in advance (and good luck getting an appointment). There are no drop-in visits allowed.

You can do a porch visit once a week for 20 minutes and two visitors are allowed and don't have to have a Covid test. Masks are worn and there is no touching allowed. Outside visits require a facility caregiver to monitor taking them away from caring for the rest of the residents!

Window visits are limited to once a week but you can have as many people outside the window as you want.

All residents have been fully vaccinated and 80% of staff have. I was not real happy when I found out about the 80%, but the facility has never had any Covid cases.

The facility says it is ruled by Health and Human Services who say there are no limitations on number of visitors BUT the facility is allowed to set its own rules based on staffing. So, we pretty much know how that goes!

Like I said in another post, if I had it to do over, I would NOT place Mom during Covid with all these strict rules for visitation.

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score 5 · Answer 22

In IL at my dad’s facility all residents and staff received the 2nd shot this past weekend. We can now visit with some restrictions:
1 we have to pass screening test including temperature check
2: we must stay at his apartment
3: we must stay masked and gloved at all times they are providing KN95 mask and gloves
4: we must maintain social distancing
5: we must not eat or drink anything while in the apartment
6: 1hr visit
7: 1 person at a time
8: 1 visit per week by appointment
I am not complaining at least I get to visit him now 😊

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score 0 · Answer 23

I’m in the worst of a hotspot. I’ve had a mild case of Covid and received my first dose of the vaccine. I have promised to be tested regularly if I’m granted a visitor’s permission.

I’ll post here when I’ve heard back.

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score 1 · Answer 24

It's a checkerboard out there still and much of it depends on the facility and its status. They may have vaccinated all of their residents who are eligible and their staff but that staff still has to go home and interact with their family members, many of whom are not yet eligible for vaccination. It may also depend on if a facility currently has any residents who are positive for Covid. Generally all states are handling this a bit differently and within those perimeters, all facilities are setting their own guidelines to protect their residents, resident families and staff and staff families as best possible. It's a complex situation.

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I'm glad facilities are being proactive in protecting our loved ones, but it seems if you are fully vaccinated, you should be able to visit whenever you want.

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score 0 · Answer 25

In Ohio the state sets the guidelines, but there is considerable latitude at the facility. Each county has to have Covid rates below a certain level for anyone to visit. The SNF where my mother is opened briefly under this guidance-allowing 2 people together once per week for half an hour. Then a resident got COVID and everything shut down again. We are now waiting 14 days before they will open up to visits again. In Ohio, there is also a “compassionate care” allowance, but the rules for that are not readily available or published. I ended up emailing the Director of the Nursing home and copying the state Ombudsman through the Health Department, and they FINALLY let me see my mother. I was able to visit in her room for 4 hours. I am not sure if/when that will be allowed again. But it was definitely worth ruffling some feathers. I would check state guidelines, see if there are some special accommodations, and use whatever connections you can find to put pressure on the SNF.

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My Mom's MC facility consists if 4 small houses with a maximum of 16 residents in each. If Covid occurs in one house, the other houses do not have to quarantine. That's a plus.

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score 4 · Answer 26

It's hard to hear about other regions doing better with vaccinations but don't worry, they'll get to you sooner than you think. And where I am (Ontario Canada) we are just now celebrating that they have appointments available for over 80's who live outside of a facility, so from my perspective you are way ahead.

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score 3 · Answer 27

I just received an email from my mother's place saying they were allowing visits outdoors once again. I didn't know they'd stopped them, but then again I don't do those visits because my mother can't see or hear me from eight feet away...through a plastic divider...with a mask on. She's virtually blind and extremely deaf.

The entire community (minus a couple of patients including my mother) has been vaccinated, so I don't really know why they aren't opening things up more. I suppose it'd be better to have all the visitors vaccinated as well, but California isn't vaccinating anyone under 65 yet to my knowledge. At the rate we're going, that won't happen for a few months yet.

The nursing home gets to make the rules. It's their place, so their rules.

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Your mom can she still feel your touch?

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score 1 · Answer 28

There is such a hodge podge of rules and practices out there, I really wish you had some clearer guidance from your elected officials. Where I live we have allowed "essential caregivers" to visit on site for many months already as long as they have had a negative covid test within the last week.

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What is the status of nursing home / skilled care center visits in your area? Are vaccinated people allowed in to visit their loved ones?

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