CMS opens visitation to nursing homes after year of isolation
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 11, 2021
“Facilities should allow responsible indoor visitation at all times” — no matter the vaccination status of resident or visitor, the agency now says. Its action follows the remarkable, apparent...
Clinical briefs for Thursday, March 4
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 04, 2021
Verified Vaccinated Visitors program allows unrestricted access in senior living … House health leader pushes for permanent Medicare waivers … COVID testing falls nationwide since January, alarming...
Time to allow visits: Vaccine success supports reopening in long-term care, advocates say
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 26, 2021
State and federal officials are being urged to ease visitation restrictions as COVID-19 vaccinations continue and cases fall among residents.
81% of providers encouraging residents to stay put for Thanksgiving: survey
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 17, 2020
The increased risk of contracting COVID-19 has caused most long-term care providers to discourage residents from traveling to family gatherings for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, according to an industry...
New visitation guidance targets social isolation
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 08, 2020
Nursing home and senior living advocates have released recommendations and a toolkit to support safe visitation and ease resident isolation during the pandemic.
Nursing homes face threats of citations, penalties if they restrict visitor access without good cause
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 18, 2020
Providers who fail to facilitate in-person visitations “without a reasonable clinical or safety cause” could be cited and face other penalties under new guidance issued Thursday by the Centers for...
Dementia mortality skyrockets since lockdowns; CMS loosens visitor restrictions
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 18, 2020
An excessive number of deaths due to dementia have occurred since shelter-in-place orders went into effect this spring, a new analysis finds. Meanwhile, CMS has proposed a framework for nursing homes...
‘A touching move’: Family visitation booth allows residents, family members to safely make contact
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 16, 2020
A Virginia-based nursing home figured out a way to hold visits that allow residents to safely hold hands and hug their loved ones.
Experts make case for allowing more family-member visits in nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 14, 2020
Long-term care facilities should reconsider their restrictive visitation policies aimed at ensuring the well-being of residents during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, according to several experts.
CMS issues ‘long overdue’ visitation guidelines for nursing homes
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 25, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services excited the provider community and brought clarity to numerous aspects of restarting visits at nursing homes Wednesday.