We have had many questions regarding the partial opening of businesses in Washington State, and the ability for family members to visit residents this next weekend.  The visitation restriction for LTCF has not been lifted by the Governor, and is expected to be extended past May 9^th.  This means family member visitations cannot resume at this time. We have asked the Governor to issue public service announcements and statements during any upcoming press conferences advising family members against in-person visits to loved ones.  

We know this is going to be difficult with Mother’s Day on Sunday and the nice weather forecasted for the weekend.  It is important to  remind family members of the continued risk to residents and staff, asymptomatic transmission is still happening and that visits will need to take place by phone or Skype or Facebook. We have heard from Washington Emergency Management that there are “COVID-19 infection parties” happening around the state, where a non-infected person mingles with an infected person in an effort to catch the virus.  This may be an extreme occurrence but, the fact is, we simply can’t know whether and to what extent individuals may be exposed to the virus and are now carriers. Please continue to exercise extreme caution and take reasonable measures to ban visitors and protect residents and staff within your communities.

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
LHofmann@LeadingAgeWA.org