N.S. long-term care homes start booking family visits for first time in 3 months
Every care home will have a different style of visit based on the facilities available
Long-term care homes across Nova Scotia are busy preparing for family visits, which can resume as early as June 15.
"We are so thrilled that long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia have the green light to at least have outdoor visits," said Lisa Smith, the CEO of Glen Haven Manor in New Glasgow.
More than 200 residents in the facility have been waiting anxiously for this day for three months.
On Wednesday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said family visits could resume under conditions. The visits must be monitored by staff, they must happen outdoors on the grounds of the facility and the visitors must wear masks.
However, Strang said he's leaving it up to every home to determine exactly how the visits will be carried out, which means families should expect different procedures at different facilities.
Drive-in visits
Smith said her staff have been preparing for this possibility for several weeks and are ready to start "drive-in" visits on Monday.
They painted hearts and flowers on the ground to show where visitors will park their cars. Glen Haven is asking people to stay in their cars as staff bring the residents to a seat two metres away from the car window. The visitors will be able to speak to the residents through the open car windows.
The visits at Glen Haven will last for 20 minutes. Smith said that will allow them to do roughly 125 visits per week, meaning residents will be permitted a visit about once every week and a half.
"We're ready to go. We have our schedules all ready," said Smith.
She said staff began calling families to schedule times on Thursday morning, and every family will receive a call by the end of the week.
During the scheduling call, the family visitors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms. Smith said they are still determining what to do if the weather is poor, which could involve placing an awning above the resident. FaceTime, Skype and telephone calls will still be available.
Gazebo visits
Oceanview Manor, a long-term care home in Eastern Passage, is finalizing its plan for visits and expects to have a phone line set up next week to start booking appointments. Visits will start later in the month.
Shelley Noonan, the senior director of care living, asks families to be patient and recognize that what's happening in one home might not be possible in another.
"The biggest thing would be don't just show up," she said. "There is a lot of time and a lot of preparation that's going to go into this."
Visitors will enter a space where they'll have to answer screening questions and do a temperature check while staff explain the physical distancing rules. Oceanview will also provide surgical masks to visitors as it will not accept homemade masks for visits.
Visitors will meet the residents outdoors in a gazebo at the front of the building, which overlooks the ocean.
"The front of our building is a little more secluded and less busy, and we also have a fabulous view," Noonan said.
There may also be two other outdoor areas cordoned off depending on how many visitors are arriving at one time.
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