Follow
Share

We live in an area where Covid rates are now very low, masks are not required, and pretty much everything is back up and open as usual. The ALF where my mom is is still under pretty strict requirements. We can visit, for an hour. Only two visitors per week. We can take her out on the weekends for a few hours (which makes no sense to me.)


It's difficult to schedule a visit during the weekdays. I'm just curious if other places are opening back up more freely now in other parts of the country. Whenever I ask, they just say they are following "company" and CMS guidelines. I see nothing specific though.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
That's what ours is saying, too -- one hour visits once a week -- yet they let me in with my mom's hospice nurse yesterday for two hours so I could keep Mom calm while the nurse did her tasks. I also don't wear a mask with Mom because she's so deaf and can't understand what anyone is saying through them. (She's also had Covid already.) No one says anything.

Yesterday was the first time since March 2020 that I was anywhere in that place other than the visiting room just off the lobby. I walked with the nurse through the common room where everyone was having lunch, and I was astounded at how much the residents had deteriorated since I last saw them. Granted, it's memory care and there was a lot of turnover anyway, but two of the most vibrant people in there a year ago were now staring off into space from wheelchairs. I was heartbroken to see them. The staff told me the lockdown was extremely hard on all the residents.

Their policies are all over the place, but I hope they open up all the way on June 15 when California's governor has decided this will all magically go away.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
cweissp May 2021
Yes i believe the lockdown of our families was very hard on them and caused further deterioration. Mom has MCI and feels she is much worse, however, in her case, I don't see that she deteriorated all that much. Some of her friends had to be moved over to MC or SN.
(1)
Report
That's because there are so many different ALs and each state is operating under it's own guidelines under the CDC umbrella. They are also trying to erase the memory of all those residents gasping for air and the coroner's trucks coming to pick up the deceased because the funeral parlors could not keep up. They realize that vaccinated or not, their residents are for the most part, a fragile population so expect them to be somewhat cautious (although, letting her go out to the facility for short trips does seem to be at odds with caution)

In NJ most AL's have just opened their dining rooms up to residents only with social distancing. Masks are required for everyone. Visits (indoor) from family members must be scheduled and are for limited time frames, which of course limits the number of visitors who can be in the building at the same time. A few are allowing resident to leave with families for short trips; many are not because they don't know the environment in which the resident might be involved. Basically..... right now..... it's bit of a crap shoot.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Sorry to hear this. Most I know of in California with their seniors all vaccinated are opening up. They do require masking.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Yes--I had DH in the hospital all last week and they never figured out what was wrong with him, besides dxing the SYMPTOMS, they didn't 'fix' a dang thing. He stands up and faints. Super high fall risk--and I did NOT want to bring him home, wanted him in a rehab facility until they've properly dxed him.

Son had blown in to town and the docs listened to HIM, not ME, the appointed POA. So, DH gets hauled HOME by said son, who then flew home thinking he had been our savior. All he did was make a difficult problem a lot worse. I CANNOT catch my hubby--and was repeatedly told not to even try. I expect he will be back in the hospital this week.

Now I am 24/7 care of a man whom I cannot leave alone, b/c he passes out (and frequently vomits!) every time he stands up.

So, here in my state they are opening up again--must be properly vaccinated, but that's about the only criteria. We're mask free pretty much everywhere but medical facilities and I don't think that will ever change.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

My mom's AL is open to appointments only, now up to 2 hours and 2 people at a time - don't know about any limit to how many visits per week. The visits are outdoors or in the apartment only. At this time except for medical appointments - they aren't allowed to leave the facility. Masks are required and if both parties are vaccinated hugging is allowed. I'm hoping that sooner than later I can take mom out again - to library, restaurant.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

In my mother’s MC/AL, we have always been able to take her out of there for as long as we want. (We never have-she couldn’t have ever handled that.)

This was at the same time as we could only visit her for short, Compassionate Care Visits in her room. These two, disparate rules never made sense to me.

Now, we can visit her as often as we want, but only in her room, or outside. I would much rather visit in the dining room or activity room, since conversation is almost impossible. Sigh.

This is in Florida.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

I’m in RI & the state is opened back up with no masks required for vaccinated people.......the honor system.

The nursing home my mom is in only allows 1 visit per wk per patient for 45 minutes.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

Western New York. Scheduled visits only, so they can monitor the number of visitors vs residents…not sure what capacity- 50%? Must fill out questionnaire and have temp taken before entering. Finally can visit in her room, 2 at a time, masked; one hour only. We CAN’T go outside with her at the facility, though she can go out.
As of last month, NYS Dept of Health recommends against residents leaving adult care facilities for home or family visitation or social outings. If a resident leaves for a social outing, they must be Covid tested 3X in the 14 days following their return to facility.
If they go for a doctor’s appointment, they don’t have to test after.
It seems it was easy to shut things down, but not much of a plan of what comes next . They ask if we’re fully vaccinated, but so far, it doesn’t make any difference in “the rules”.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Squatch33 Jun 2021
Yeah, I can't sit outside on the patio with her at the facility, but last weekend I took her out, brought her to my house to see my kids, had lunch, went to a couple of stores, etc. I don't get that, but she's glad for it, at the least. They threaten with testing or quarantine, if they think it is necessary after an outing, but no one ever is.
(0)
Report
Slowly but surely things are opening back up. At least lobby visits are allowed for a limited amount of time.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter