SWODA Provides Guide to Returning to Nursing Homes

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May 28, 2021

By News Director Jared Atha

Good news for those with loved ones in local nursing homes: visitation is opening up more with each passing week.

According to a press release from the Southwest Oklahoma Development Authority, as with all things COVID-19 related, the guidelines for visiting long-term care facilities continue to change rapidly.

SWODA, who is following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidelines says nursing home facilities should be allowing indoor visitation “at all times for all residents.” There are a few specific exceptions, which could include an uptick of the county’s positivity rate, the resident is in quarantine or has a confirmed case of COVID-19 or there has been an outbreak in the facility that will cause all visitation to be suspended temporarily while outbreak testing is completed.

The CMS guidance states while facilities should allow indoor visitation at all times, they can “consider scheduling visits for a specific length of time to help ensure all residents are able to receive visitors.”.

The press release said that a facility cannot refuse to allow visitation because they are short staffed, or force a visitor to be tested for COVID-19 or show proof of vaccination.

SWODA also says quarantining for new residents or current residents will not be required, however it will be required if the resident has prolonged exposure and close contact to a person with COVID-19 in the prior 14 days. Being in quarantine does not mean the resident cannot have visitors.

The press release said rules and restrictions change drastically for residents who are vaccinated. It said vaccinated residents can take part in group activities with other vaccinated residents without masking or social distancing. Vaccinated residents also can participate in communal dining with other vaccinated residents without masking or social distancing.

If the resident and the visitor are both vaccinated, they can visit privately in the resident’s room or other designated visitation areas and the visit can be conducted without masks or social distancing.