It is policy of this facility to allow visitation for residents, families and designated representatives while ensuring safety and adherence to infection prevention strategies to minimize any potential spread of infection. This can only be done in accordance with all state and federal guidance for the prevention of COVID-19.

The facility will implement actions to assess visitors upon entrance to the building, and allow visitation to the facility as per CMS and Department of Health guidelines. These actions will be implemented and changed as needed in conjunction with updated guidance/directives from the CMS and the Dept of Health.  Our purpose is to promote and enhance resident quality of life, combat psychosocial impacts of isolation, and maintain a homelike environment.

Criteria

This facility will resume visitation under the following revised guidance:

  1. A copy of the facility’s formal visitation plan is posted to facility public website to provide visitors with clear guidelines for visiting. Families will be informed via text if and when visitation is paused due to an increase in the number of residents and/or staff with confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
  2. Visitors include but are not limited to, family members, loved ones and representatives from the long-term care ombudsman program (LTCOP), and resident advocacy organizations.
  3. Visitors must comply with the core principles of infection control and wear a mask at all times while in the facility. The facility has the right to restrict visitation for noncompliance.
  4. Facility will use the CMS COVID-19 county positivity rate, found on the COVID-19 Nursing Home Data site link available at https://data.cms.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-Nursing-Home-Data/bkwz-xpvg as additional information to determine how to facilitate indoor visitation, and must abide by the following:

– Low (<5%) = visitor testing is strongly recommended in most cases and facility may utilize rapid testing as needed.

– Medium (5%-10%) = Visitor testing is required. Visitors must present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the past seventy-two hours (72), or facility may utilize rapid test in specific instances. Alternatively, the visitor(s) may provide proof of having completed the COVID-19 vaccination series no less than 14 days prior to the date of visit but also within 90 days of last vaccination. However, proof of vaccination is not a guarantee that a visitor is not transmitting COVID-19, so testing is still recommended and the facility strongly recommends a negative test still be provided by visitors in most cases.

– High (>10%) = Visitation must only occur for compassionate care situations. Negative tests are still strongly recommended for compassionate care situations in most cases and facility may provide rapid testing if needed.

  1. Residents who are on transmission-based precautions for Covid-19 should only receive visits that are virtual, through windows, or in-person for compassionate care/end of life situations with adherence to transmission-based precautions. Restrictions will be lifted once transmission-based precautions are no longer required.

Procedure

  • Facility visitation is encouraged to take place in an outdoor area, weather permitting and when feasible based on the resident’s condition.
  • In inclement weather such as high heat, snow or rain and as facility space allows visitation will be in the lobby, in common areas or in a well-ventilated space with individuals who are social distanced and wearing a facemask / face covering while in the presence of others. Visitation may also occur in resident’s rooms when feasible. This may include residents visiting each other.
  • Visitors are recommended to make appointments prior to the visit and no more than two people per visit is encouraged.
  • Visits are encouraged to be approximately an hour in length, however exceptions will be made as needed.
  • Visiting hours are recommended between the hours of 10am and 6pm. However, we understand that due to work and other obligations visits will have to happen at other times and the facility will accommodate this as needed.
    • The facility will assign staff to assist with the transition of residents, monitoring of visitation, and cleaning and disinfecting areas used for visitation after visit using an EPA-approved disinfectant.
    • Visitors who are fully vaccinated (meaning they are 2 weeks post receiving both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine) will not be asked to be tested prior to visit. Visitors will be asked to provide proof of vaccination status via their vaccination card to receptionist to confirm vaccination status.
    • Non-fully vaccinated visitors are strongly encouraged to have a verified negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours of the scheduled visit and are asked to present proof of the negative test result upon arrival to the facility. Facility may utilize rapid testing to meet the testing requirements. Excluding end of life visits. It is noted that it is not mandatory for visitors to be tested if they are not vaccinated but facility strongly encourages testing prior to visit.
    • The facility will screen all visitors for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 prior to resident access and visitation will be further evaluated if the individual(s) exhibits any COVID-19 symptoms. This will include temperature checks and screening questions to assess potential exposure to COVID-19 and recent travel. Visitation may require further review for those individuals who have had close contact with someone with Covid-19 infection in the prior 14 days (regardless of the visitor’s vaccination status).
    • A log via our kiosk will be kept for all visitors that includes:
      • First and last name of the visitor;
      • Physical (street) address of the visitor;
      • Daytime and evening telephone number;
      • Date and time of visit;
      • Email address, if available;
      • As per NYSDOH a notation indicating the individual cleared the screening (both temperature and questions) that does not include any individual temperatures or other individual specific information.
    • Visiting areas will have easily accessible alcohol-based hand rub, for residents, visitors, and staff.
    • Visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
    • The facility will provide and post a fact sheet outlining visitor expectations including appropriate hand hygiene and face coverings. The fact sheet will be provided upon initial screening to all visitors.
    • If the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact (including touch) with their visitor while wearing a well-fitted face mask and performing hand hygiene before and after. Regardless, visitors should physically distance from other residents and staff at facility.
    • Indoor visitation may continue during an outbreak (defined as a new nursing home onset of Covid-19 infection that originated in the nursing home) once the first round of outbreak testing reveals no additional Covid-19 cases in other areas (e.g. units) of the facility, then visitation can resume for residents on units with no Covid-19 cases. If the first and subsequent rounds of outbreak testing reveals one or more additional Covid-19 cases in other areas/units of the facility then the facility will suspend visitation for all residents (vaccinated or unvaccinated), until the facility meets the criteria to discontinue outbreak testing.
  • The IDT Team will review the visiting program and monitor for any needed adjustments and report to QA Committee as needed.
  • Front Desk and Security staff will be advised of all visitation changes and required visitor assessments through Memo and/or in-service as applicable.
  • Staff will be kept informed of changes/restrictions to visitation through direct communication, memo’s, emails or postings.