COVID-19 HAS DISRUPTED everyone’s life, and none more so than the residents and family members of long-term-care facilities. Since the pandemic hit last March, facilities such as the Elizabeth Scott Community in Maumee have had to go on lockdown to protect residents and staff members. Now that infection rates in Ohio have dropped and vaccinations have increased, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has issued new visitation guidelines for long-term-care facilities.
“It’s definitely been a long time coming,” says Paul Bucher, third-generation owner of the Elizabeth Scott Community. “This has been a stressful year for everyone. Our staff has worked very hard to keep our residents safe while remaining safe themselves. At the same time, we understand and sympathize with the frustration felt by residents and family members in not being able to visit with each other. But, first and foremost, we have had to protect everyone from getting COVID and to follow state health department guidelines in the process.”
Prior to the new ODH guidelines being issued, Ohio long-term-care facilities were on lockdown with no visitors allowed and no residents permitted to leave the facility unless for an emergency. At one point in 2020, the health department began allowing outdoor visits by one family member, but that policy changed in the fall.
Beginning in late March this year, the Ohio Department of Health mandated that all Ohio long-term-care facilities begin allowing visitation with assisted living residents, provided the facility could monitor and manage visitors. At that time, the Elizabeth Scott Community began welcoming visitors to its Assisted Living I and Enhanced Living units.
“Every long-term-care facility must determine how they will handle the new visitation protocols,” says Bucher. “The state department of health is not requiring visitors or residents to be vaccinated before a visit is allowed. So, the facility must make sure that masks are properly worn and that hand hygiene is followed. We now offer visitation seven days a week, and all visits must be pre-scheduled.”
Family members can choose from four different time slots Monday through Friday. Visitation is limited to five visits of two people for each time slot, for a total of 10 outside visitors per time slot. Saturday and Sunday visits are available in a similar fashion. “In a given week, we can accommodate a total of 80 outside visitors spread out over the seven days and four time slots per day,” says Bucher. “Up to two family members can visit unsupervised with their loved one in the resident’s room and have close contact with the resident provided they follow COVID protocols. There is no time limit placed on visitation.”
Fully vaccinated or non-vaccinated family members can take a resident out of the facility for less than 24 hours for appointments or family outings. Quarantining will not be recommended for the resident unless he/she has had close contact with a COVID-19-positive person while out. However, quarantining will be considered based on the assessment of risk and if any uncertainty exists about residents or others adhering to the outing protocols.
Visitors are screened for COVID-19 symptoms and asked a series of questions before entering the facility, including those who plan to take a resident out. They are required to wear a well-fitted surgical mask at all times and will be escorted by an Elizabeth Scott Community staff member to and from their loved one’s room.
“Our procedures are all based on the goal of keeping everyone as safe as possible as we work through getting back to some sort of normal,” says Bucher. “It’s a step in the right direction, and we hope to someday soon operate like we did before the pandemic hit.”
Note: The Ohio Department of Health guidelines noted in this article are based on their latest protocols revised on 3/26/21 and 4/6/21.
