AP Article: Nursing Home Residents Can Get Hugs Again, Feds Say
The Associated Press has published an article, "Nursing Home Residents Can Get Hugs Again, Feds Say," about the new nursing home visitation policy guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The article notes that, "Nursing home residents vaccinated against COVID-19 can get hugs again from their loved ones, and all residents may enjoy more indoor visits, the government said Wednesday in a step toward pre-pandemic normalcy." Precautions, though, remain in place (wearing masks, for instance) to counterbalance risk, and CMS stated that outdoor visits are preferable and maintaining 6 feet of separation is still the safest policy.
“'All of us feel enormous relief that we are at this next juncture and feel confident that reopening visitation can be achieved safely, given all we have learned during the pandemic,' said Terry Fulmer, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation, which works to improve care for older adults. 'A great deal more has been learned about infection control, and families and facilities are ready.'”
To read the article, click here.
To go to the CMS press release, click here.
To go to the CMS revised visitation guidance, click here.
To go to the CMS fact sheet, click here.
