Health & Fitness
New Order Allows For Communication With Nursing Home Residents
New standards at nursing homes approved to ensure loved ones can speak with their families either through windows or video conferencing.
CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont said his administration has issued an order implementing standards at nursing homes to ensure loved ones can speak with their families either through windows or video conferencing.
According to the order, "every facility shall regularly facilitate reasonable and practical alternative means of communication between residents and their family and other individuals, as designated by such resident or his or her family or legal representative, denied entry to the Facility due to the visitation restrictions imposed by the Order.
"Such alternative means of communication shall include, but not be limited to, window visits, virtual visitation via technological solutions (e.g. Face Time, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.), social media communications and phone calls, and shall occur at least on a weekly basis.
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"Facilities shall contact the resident's family, conservator or legal representative to decide together on which specific work shift the visits or technological solutions will be provided. All perimeter visits (i.e. window visits, outdoor social-distancing visits) shall be planned by the Facility with guidelines for safety. There shall not be any window or perimeter visits after sundown. All such visits, which shall be for a minimum of 20 minutes, should be structured so as not to overwhelm Facility staff and to ensure the unintended persons do not breach the premises."
"Facilities shall provide guidance and assistance to the resident in the use of such technological solutions and shall regularly inform residents and their family members of the availability of such communication options and how they may be scheduled; and Facilities that are unable to provide such communication and visitation alternatives shall immediately inform and work with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to find and implement a resolution."
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