The coronavirus pandemic has made it harder for people to communicate with their parents in nursing homes, but they aren’t able to stop you from talking to them. Even if restrictions on visitations impact your ability to see your parents in-person, there are other options available to reach them, including phone and virtual calls. You are also generally allowed to see your parents in an emergency situation, such as an end-of-life event. Knowing your rights is vital to protecting your well-being and that of your parents during the coronavirus pandemic.
Why Are Visitors to Nursing Homes Restricted?
Nursing homes restricted visitors at the urging of the American Health Care Association (AHCA), which recommended limitations on outside visitors who could bring the virus. The virus proved to be highly dangerous to residents in nursing homes, many of whom already had pre-existing conditions or were vulnerable due to their age. While the virus has about a one per cent fatality rate among the general population, making it much more dangerous than influenza, this rate skyrocketed to around 15 per cent, and possibly even higher, for those in nursing homes.
Restrictions on nursing home visitations came into effect after a disastrous outbreak in the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, and numerous deaths in nursing homes across New York and New Jersey. Since then, nursing home residents have proven to be highly vulnerable to coronavirus infection and death, making it important to limit the exposure of residents to the virus. However, this has placed enormous burdens on nursing home residents and their families, many of whom have had to limit in-person visits during the pandemic.
How Can I Get in Touch With My Loved One if Visitors Are Restricted?
While the pandemic can make it harder to get in touch with your loved one for a variety of reasons, there are still opportunities for you to contact them. Nursing homes may be able to limit your ability to physically contact your loved one, but you can still reach them electronically. In-person visits may also be allowed under special circumstances. Some of the ways you can maintain contact with your loved ones are as follows:
- Phone calls
- Video conferencing
- Social media
- Letters
- Socially-distanced visits
- End-of-life visitation
What Should I Do If I Can’t Contact My Loved One?
If you can’t contact your loved one, you may need to file a complaint with an ombudsman, who can review the policies set out by your loved one’s nursing home and the preferences of your loved one. The nursing home can limit your ability to contact your loved one physically due to health concerns, but only they can decide that they no longer wish to receive communications from you. If our loved one’s nursing home is placing greater restrictions on your ability to contact your loved one than appears warranted, there may be other factors at work besides concern for their safety. You may need to contact a Kentucky nursing home abuse lawyer to determine if the nursing home is trying to hide abuse on its part.
There are sound reasons for preventing visitors from seeing loved ones in nursing homes, but it’s important to ensure that this isn’t being used to hide abuse of your loved one. Regularly checking in on your loved one’s well-being is vital to protecting them from being taken advantage of due to the pandemic. WIth increasing vaccinations, there is hope that more visitations will be possible with nursing home care residents. Until then, it’s important to monitor the health of your loved ones to ensure they are getting the care they need.
Kyle Hambright is a passionate writer proudly representing Pintas and Mullins Law Firm. He has focused his legal career on personal injury cases, and throughout his practice, Kyle has helped people from all walks of life. This determination transpires in his writings as well. His articles translate the complex web of legal jargon into accessible text. Readers not only gain a firm grasp on theory, but they also learn how to put it into practice.
