Controlled visits to be allowed at nursing homes

Though strict protocol will remain in place, residents at Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley will be allowed to see visitors sometime this month.

CMHC administrator Janette Simon announced Monday new guidelines from the Iowa Department of Public Health will allow added options for visitors at long-term care facilities. CMHC and all other nursing homes in Iowa have been shuttered since March to prevent the threat of COVID-19, which is especially deadly in elderly patients.

"The psychological effect that it's having on the residents is very detrimental," Simon said of the visitor ban.

The new guidelines will hopefully be implemented within two weeks, Simon said. Three types of visits will be allowed, and only visitors and residents who aren't showing signs of COVID-19 can participate. Masks will be mandatory and hand hygiene will be strictly enforced.

The first type of visit will be through an open window, with the visitor and resident six feet apart and wearing masks. Window visits are currently allowed, but the window must be shut.

The second is an outdoor visit with the same social distancing guidelines in place. The third will be a dedicated chat box in a conference room at the front of the facility.

Simon is in the process of hiring two employees to conduct health screenings at the door.

"Everything is going to be appointment only, with only one person in at a time," she explained. "We will have to limit the number of visitors per resident. It's not like we're going to have 20 people lined up per resident."

CMHC has had no reported cases of COVID-19. Simon and staff members implemented strict protocol to prevent infection, which was lauded by state inspectors last month.

She said cooperation of both residents and staff members has been outstanding.

"The residents have been so understanding and so cooperative. They comfort and praise us all the time," Simon said. "They're dealing with it themselves. They cry and they miss their families, but there's no resentment or accusation with it."

Simon said that while the new visit guidelines are far from pre-coronavirus rules, it's better than complete lockdown.

"We still are continuing to grow in numbers [of COVID-19 cases] around northwest Iowa, but we're hopeful we can begin this new protocol within the next two weeks," Simon said. "It's definitely not over. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that it's not over."

Simon believed nursing homes will not fully reopen to guests until a vaccine is released. She said she's received several complaints from family members of residents who miss their loved ones inside the facility, but she's just trying to keep everyone safe.

So far, it's worked.

"For the most part people have been really good, but I think people are just getting frustrated," she said.

Simon commended her staff members, who have had to make sacrifices themselves.

"It's difficult, because staff sees their families and friends doing stuff they can't do. They're needing to follow a higher standard," she said. "That's really wearing – always being mindful when you're off duty and not wanting to be the person who brings it inside the facility."

Additional guidelines and protocol will be released to residents and their families once it becomes available. For now, Simon said CMHC will continue staying the course.

"The collective effort has paid off so far, but we're not just going to start twiddling our thumbs and crossing our fingers. We're not just going to rely on luck," she said. "When there's a vaccine, I think we'll be able to breathe easy."