Nursing home visits begin today with restrictions

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) – With in-person visits to nursing homes and long-term care facilities allowed under certain consitions starting July 15, Signature HealthCare has set guidelines for its centers.

The company has 41 centers in Kentucky, including Winchester, Annville, Adair County and other locations.

“After much planning, Signature HealthCARE is pleased to announce that several Kentucky
facilities, but not all, will be reopening very soon to limited in-person outdoor visitation. We all have been looking forward to the day when residents and their families can celebrate
seeing each other in-person once again,” said Signature HealthCARE Kentucky Operations
President Jason Shelton. “It has been a very difficult time for all of us, and particularly our
residents and their families, to restrict visitation. We cannot thank our families enough for their understanding and cooperation. Now, as we look forward to reopening to limited in-person visitation outdoors, we need our families’ and visitor’s cooperation more than ever in following our new, and very strict visitation guidelines.”

At this time, the Signature HealthCARE facilities in Kentucky currently qualified to reopen very soon to limited in-person, outside visitation include those that meet all requirements mandated by CMS and the CDC, among other government authorities, the company said in a statement.

Such requirements include having  no new resident or staff COVID-19 positive casesfor at least 28 days, and having the appropriate outdoor visitation space at the facility. At this time, per Governor Beshear’s reopening plan, only outdoor facility visits with residents will be permitted, except in end-of-life circumstances.

Also, weather and resident health and safety will play a significant role as to whether such outdoor visitation can occur.

According to the company, new visitation requirements for visitors must be followed for the utmost protection and safety of all. The new visitor guidelines will be posted on each facility website at the time of limited reopening to outside visitation and include direction on the requirements that must be met before visitation, on arrival to the facility, and during visitation. Some of our general visitation rules include:
• A resident may only have a maximum of two (2) visitors at each visit.
• Visitors must schedule a resident visit in advance using the Visitation Calendar located
on a facility’s website.
• Visitors must read and electronically sign a Visitor COVID-19 Form, located on the
facility’s website, in advance of visit.
• Visitors must wear a mask at all times
• Visitors must respect the six feet social distancing rule and cannot physically touch a
resident
• Visitors will be screened outside and must sign a Visitor COVID-19 Screening Form
before visitation can be granted.

For facilities not able to reopen to limited in-person, outdoor visitation, the company will
continue to keep residents connected using telehealth, social media, and the mailing of cards and letters.