New guidelines for care centers

The Minnesota Department of Health is updating its COVID-19 guidelines for long-term care facilities, allowing for more resident visitation.

Near 35 mph it's been a hard year for residents living in long?

"* tem care facilities, and their loved ones.

They've had to remain socially distant in order to keep each other safe.

But families can breath a sigh of relief: the minnesota department of health updated its covid?

"*19 guidelines... allowing for more resident visitation.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco joins us live to show us how one facility is embracing the "good news."

Isabella?

Katie and george... river bend assisted living and memory care is allowing family members to go directly to residents' rooms ?

"* and not touch ?

"* if at all ?

"* possi but having the option ?

"* to st down and have a conversation with loved ones ?

"* makes all the difference.

"i love family, always have, so we just gotta get through this."

Don cavey or "uncle don" is honest about the toll this pandemic has taken on his family.

"we can't hug each other, we can't do this and we can't do that."

He's got 6 kids ?

"* and 3 of them are in rochester.

"my kids still get to come ?

"* but they ?

"* now can come to the room ?

"* but before ?

"* we couldn't, we had to talk outside, and that was hard."

Cavey is relieved families won't havto window vise calls to see their loved ones at long?

"*term care facilities.

River bend executive director jon stene believes the new guidelines are for the best.

"we've seen a definite emotional decline for the residents and this is definitely needed ?

"* for their emotional well?

"*being and ther mental well?

"*being ?

"* that' obviously just as important as their physical well?

"*being."

Cavey considers himself an eternal optimist.

"it looks like it's all going to get a little better as we go along here, and i'm so happy with that."

An optimist who's realistic about the future.

"this virus is deadly, it's deadly and i know that, and most of them live here that realize that ?

"* so we've got o be so careful."

And waiting for the day when we can all be together ?

"* free of worry... stress or a stene tells me two family members ?

"* at a time ?

"* can visit their loved ones' rooms for an hour and a half each day.

Thank you isabella.

Federal nursing home data indicates minnesota ranks 40th in the country for cases