Nursing home facility restricts visitors but I’m mom’s POA? Any thoughts?

Wow! I had no idea this question would get so much attention, mostly great insight and objective. I am sincerely appreciative of your advice, encouragement and knowledge.

For those that commented...”I don’t want to get others sick too... “ that’s pretty apparent. This site is a helpful networking platform. My goal is to ensure that everyone is safe, staff, residents etc. I posted comment at the height of the Corona Virus Alert, 3 days ago. Things have changed drastically since yesterday. Now I can see the NH was on top of it. Since, the NH has allowed the staff to connect with me visually by phone. It’s actually wonderful with FaceTime or Messenger Apps.

Lastly, please be kind and keep in mind, this is a sensitive time for everyone, couple that with an ill parent and the phenomenon sky rockets. I am trusting my Faith and Believe on positive things.

Thank you agingcare.com members

Today when I went to pickup my husband from Respite, I was told that at 4:00 p.m. they are also locking down the facility to all visitors until further notice from the CDC.

This new disease is scary bc we don’t know enough about it and the elderly are especially vulnerable. That being said, I do think some (not all) nursing homes will use these new guidelines so they can do less. Friends and family will have no way to watch over their loved ones. See if they will allow you to put a visual baby monitor in your loved one’s room until these restrictions are lifted.

you need to fallow the rules you comming in anyway just to goive her a snck may result to you infecting you mom and every other person in that home old people die from this new virious so you dont want to put that on every person livivng there

They’re not prohibiting visitation on a whim - it’s to save lives and Nursing Homes have the people who would suffer most. My MIL has dementia and is in a nursing home. My FIL has visited her every day. Now he can’t visit her at all. It’s hard.

It would be nice if there could be something set up at the nursing homes where people can visit the residents by Skype or FaceTime as many times phone communication isn’t always successful. The FaceTime or Skyping would require help from NH staff though.

Do what they say to protect your Mom and ALL of the elderly residents in that nursing home. You can talk to the nurses about your Mom on the phone. These rules are in place for a reason. If people went ahead and it started spreading, then everybody would be mad about that too. Common sense. Washington State has the highest deaths because over 20 were in a nursing home.

CMS Revises Coronavirus Guidance for Nursing Facilities
On March 9, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revised and expanded the guidance to facilities dated March 4, 2019 (See Consumer Voice summary). 

KEY REVISIONS
1. Facilities should:

Restrict, limit, or discourage visitation depending on the circumstances. See section on visitation below.
Review and revise how they interact with volunteers, vendors and receiving supplies, agency staff, EMS personnel and equipment, transportation providers, and other practitioners. 
2. If possible, facilities should dedicate a unit/wing exclusively for any residents coming or returning from the hospital, including from a hospital where a case of COVID-19 was/is present.
3. Surveyors are instructed not to cite facilities for failure to have supplies such as gowns, surgical masks, and hand sanitizer, if the facility is having difficulty obtaining those supplies due to circumstances outside their control. However, in those situations, facilities are expected to:

Take steps to obtain those supplies as soon as possible.
Find ways to make up for the lack or shortage of supplies (such as staff washing hands with soap and water if there is not enough hand sanitizer).
Notify the local and state public health officials of the shortage, follow national guidelines for optimizing their supply, or utilize the next best care option for residents.
4. Facilities should check this link regularly for critical updates: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection-control/control-recommendations.html

CMS GUIDANCE ON VISITATION

Screening Criteria

Nursing homes have been instructed by the federal government to screen all visitors for the following revised criteria:
Signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat.
Contact, within the last 14 days, with someone who has a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, is under investigation for COVID-19, or has a respiratory illness.
International travel within the last 14 days to countries with sustained community transmission. For updated information on affected countries, visit:   https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.
Residing in a community where community-based spread of COVID-19 is occurring.
In addition, CMS has instructed facilities to ask visitors if they took any recent trips (within the last 14 days) on cruise ships or participated in other settings where crowds are confined to a common location. 

Who can visit
Based on the results of the screening, facilities should restrict, limit, or discourage visitors.
For those with one or more of the criteria listed above
The facility should restrict the individual from visiting. This means the individual should not be allowed in the facility at all, until they no longer meet the criteria.
For those who don’t have any of the criteria
CMS recommends that facilities in counties, or counties adjacent to other counties where a COVID-19 case has occurred, limit visitation. This means the individual should not be allowed to come into the facility, except for certain situations, such as end-of-life situations or when a visitor is essential for the resident’s emotional well-being and care. 
CMS recommends that all other facilities that are not in the counties described above discourage visitation. This means that the facility allows normal visitation practices, but advises individuals to defer visitation until further notice (through signage, calls, etc.) Facilities should also suggest that visitors who travelled on cruise ships within the last 14 days or were in crowds confined to a common location defer their visit to a later date.
Signage

Facilities should increase signage at entrances and exits that includes language discouraging visits. For instance, the sign could recommend that the visitor defer their visit or visit only under certain limited circumstances.

The governor in New York State has prohibited all visitors from entering nursing facilities in the state indefinitely. The facilities must comply with this effective today, March 13, 2020.

You said, "Coincidentally, last week a new CNA dropped mom (72). Mom suffered 2 hematomas.."

When i would compare nursing homes to dog pounds everyone goes literally ape crazy on here. I get hate mail and people asking why in the world would i say such a thing???
Well, This is just another of many many many example of why i do.
I do it to try to PREVENT what happened to this poor poor lady!! I do it out of LOVE!
If at all possible, i want familys to know they should try to avoid nursing homes, that is all im saying, nothing more.

I am an RN that works in a nursing facility. Our facility has stopped all visitation with residents except those that are actively dying. We are being mandated by the Federal government and the centers for Medicare and Medicaid to restrict or deny visits from the general public which unfortunately includes family members. This population is the most vulnerable to the Corona Virus and these measures are in place to protect not only your loved one but you and your family as well. I know this is sometimes difficult on everyone but remember, we are all as healthcare providers trying our best to prevent the spread of this virus and keep your loved one healthy.
As far as the care your mother is receiving, if you feel it is neglectful then call your state's Ombudsmen and let them know or call your State's Dept of health services and make a complaint. I know accidents do happen, we are all human but it sounds like maybe this facility needs to train their staff better. They should also be allowing you to contact your mom via telephone whenever you want. Call the Director of Nursing and tell that person that you want it put on your mom's careplan that she needs the snack of graham crackers, Ensure Plus and yogurt every day. If it's care planned, they have to do it! You can stay proactive and on top of things even if you can't visit. If you are the POA, you have rights that include being advised of your mom's care on a daily basis and having your wishes followed. Hopefully, this virus will pass quickly and you will be able to visit again. Trust is a difficult thing. Prayer is powerful. I hope this helped you with your questions.

My mom is in hospice with dementia. We had a big scare with her aspirating a week and a half ago and thought we were going to lose her, but she amazingly bounced back. She lives in a senior residence with 5 other residents. I am so confused by what to do, she cannot communicate with me by phone, and I can't bear to not see her, but want to protect her and the others. I know she is in good hands, but feel terrible thinking she will think we abandoned her.

My moms facility closed too. And I’m grateful because my mom is not the only vulnerable person there.

This will pass. Be patient, have faith they can care for your mom, that’s why you chose that facility.

I too am a only child and I’m going to try to use this time to take care of me and re-energize my self so when this is over I will be ready to take on my daughterly duties again.

Take care of yourself, stay healthy.

oh I am forgot to add, I also am a POA.........that title doesn't mean anything when something like this is happening.  I am sure there are some exceptions, but just because you visited everyday and took snacks is not sufficient justification.  Call in to talk to your mother and just let her know that you will be coming in soon.  wishing you peace

honestly I would not worry.  All NH are going to restrict visitors right now due to this virus thing going around. I would rather NOT visit and take the chance of spreading something to all of them.  remember they are all in a more compromised position than most.  I am sure that the NH will keep you informed of any situation that arises.  I already told my mother (92) that we would NOT be going into see her hubby, my dad (97) until we were given permission.  I am sure you can ask the NH to give her some kind of snack, they all have them.

No exceptions.

I was told yesterday that visitors are "restricted", but I am still welcome. ? Not sure why that is. All entertainment is canceled. My mom's blood pressure has hit sky high lately. She is confused. I'm usually able to calm her, so should I continue to visit her and wash my hands at the entrance bathroom? That somehow doesn't seem enough, but that and restrictions on visitors is all they have in place. It's a very small assisted living with only 8 residents at present. Since the college where I teach just closed and went online for all classes for the remainder of the semester I'm wondering if my mom's place is not being careful enough.

I got a similar call from my mom's nursing home, but they did say that those whose loved ones were in hospice or if it would be detrimental to their well being not to have visitors, they would be exempt from the restriction. I am her only daughter and the one who visits with her as my only living brother lives 6 hours away. We have joint POA, but I am her advocate since she will not advocate for herself and even forgets she has a call button, but I don't feel she will suffer any ill effects by my not being there other than wondering where I am. I plan to call regularly to check in on her with the nurses and speak to mom to let her know she is not forgotten. If I was convinced she would suffer any harm if I didn't go, I would visit no matter what as long as I had no exposure to the virus.

Yes, no visitors allowed which protects all the residents. I also visited Mom daily - now I will call daily. If I can't get her in her room, I call the nurse's station and they connect me. I am able to drop off snacks and laundry with the receptionist. I also write Mom a note each day so she has a reminder that I'm thinking of her. She doesn't really understand what is happening but I try to reassure her that it will be over in a bit and we can go back to our routine as soon as it's OK. It might be harder on us that it is on them sometimes :) but it truly is in the best interest of all the residents and I'm OK with that!

When I got the call strictly, NO visitors, I questioned it. Can I as the POA be the only person to visit. Their response was this is a guideline from the CDC and the leaders of the company feel compelled to follow it strictly. They told me I can call for updates. If, you really need to see her, probably the best thing would be take her home, if that is a possibility.

Long term care facilities throughout the country are are restricting visitors. This measure is to protect the frail elderly who are at highest risk for complications and death. POA carries no weight in this situation. Unless you are there 24 hours daily, there are times where the staff is responsible for your mother's needs. Communicate her gestures and dietary needs to the staff. It is all of our responsibility to combat this disease.

My Mother’s facility has strict no visitors now too. We must protect the elderly. I’m Moms POA too but that doesn’t give me the right to carry anything in to the residents. Any respiratory illness would spread like wildfire in a facility of elderly residents.
I do my Moms laundry, they meet me at the door & exchange laundry bags! They call me if there’s anything I need to know. I talk to mom on phone 2-3 times a day

My mother's memory care has asked visitors to come less often, but they haven't mandated that. I don't know that they can mandate such a thing, particularly immediate family members? If your presence is that critical to her well being, I'd be compelled to force the visit issue, taking precautions as necessary. As for our family, my mother isn't completely dependent upon me to the degree your mother is, so we are decreasing our visits, but not completely foregoing them. Good luck.

Yeah..take her home and get her out of nursing home

What I am doing is giving her a call. Whenever she is awake. :) As long as she hears from me, that is good. I can take food to her and they can put it where they want to. I need to buy more snacks for her also.

It won't be that much longer for the shutdown. As long as my mom is being taken well care of, that is all that I care about...

Restricting visits is the way we are taking care of them right now.

I don't know why because the workers can get sick with coronavirus or flu or whatever just as easily and they often are forced to go to work under threat of disciplinary action, especially if it's a corporation. You can always have your mom taken home and you can care for her.

If you are considering installing hidden cameras at a nursing home, there can be very serious legal consequences because a nursing home is still private property. There also can be Federal law issues as well under HIPAA. https://www.forpeopleforjustice.com/legal-install-video-camera-inside-nursing-home/

You can install cameras in YOUR home--it's YOUR property, but not other people's private property without their permission or knowledge.

The directives to restrict visitors is coming from state and federal levels. The senior facilities must follow these guidances. It is going to be very difficult for family members who want to visit their loved ones. Can you arrange for deliveries of necessary supplies to the facility? Hopefully this restriction will only last for a few weeks.

The rules are in place for a reason.  This virus is deadly to the elderly and in a confined environment...it can spread like wildfire.  Your mom not getting her snack from you isn't going to kill her, but this virus could.  I understand that not seeing her is hard for you, but these restrictions are in her best interest.  It's risky enough having the caregivers in and out.

Hopefully this situation we are all in will peter out and we can go back to seeing our family members as often as we want!

From what I have Read, Unless they are dying, Everyone has to abide by the Strict Rules. Call IN every day.

Does anyone know if things like Home Health are exempt? My dad gets treated for cellulitis by visiting nurses prescribed by his doctor to keep it under control. We also have caregivers that come in 3 days a week to get him to appointments plus me (Legal guardian) on Saturday. The AL called yesterday and said new, revised guidelines are coming in the mail. Guess I'll show up Saturday as always and see what happens.