Nursing Homes Preparing For Limited Visitation

Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities are allowed to have visitors.

Najahe sherman.

Starting tomorrow - residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities are allowed to have visitors!

Under the governor's amended safer at home order - residents in those facilities can have one visitor at a time.

Waay 31's max cohan explains the state and federal guidelines that facilities are expected to follow as they welcome guests in.

The health order says facilities need to consider their coronavirus situation, whether residents or visitors are having any symptoms - and their county's coronavirus risk status as they start to allow more people in.

Today i talked to the alabama nursing home association -- who said the move is an important first step.

John matson -- communications director, alabama nursing home association "we're not ready to get back to normal visitation like we had pre- covid, but these limited indoor visits, along with the outdoor visits, are a good step on the road to getting back to normal."

John matson -- communications director for the alabama nursing home association - says the updates in governor ivey's health order are exciting -- even though they are on a limited basis.

The order says nursing homes should follow the guidelines laid out by the centers for medicare and medicaid services.

Those include: no new cases in the last 14 days.

No current outbreak testing.

Limiting visitors to on per resident.

And limiting which parts of the building residents are allowed into.

They also recommend vistors be required to pass a health screening and wear masks that cover their nose and mouth during the visit.

And facilities can deny future visits to anyone who violates the rules.

Still - the c-m-s guidelines say one of the most important considerations - is something nursing homes can't control.

"the nursing home can meet all the criteria set forth by cms but if the county positivity rate is greater than 10 percent, the nursing home can't allow visits, so this is where the public comes into play.

Everything you do every day to help stop the spread of covid 19 helps us be able to open our doors to indoor visitation."

Matson's organization represents more than 90-percent of all alabama nursing homes.

He says once you're aware of the guidelines - the best way to set up a time to see your loved one is to call the facility directly.

"the way this will work is if you're a family member with a loved one in a nursing home, youll call the nursing home and schedule a visit."

I reached out to several nursing homes in the limestone county area today to find out to if any of them were planning to allow indoor vistors tomorrow.

Those who responded said they're were not at that stage yet or were awaiting further instruction from corporate offices.

Live in limestone county, max cohan, waay 31 news.

Matson mentioned the county positivity rate impacting visits.

Here's a look at that breakdown.

Less than 5-percent positivity is considered low.

Facilities in those county's can allow visitors based on the new guidelines.

5 to 10 percent is medium - but facilities can still allow visitors.

Anything over 10-percent is considered high - and c-m-s recommends only allow visitors for "compassionate care"