August 23, 2024

Can older adults in senior living communities still see their loved ones during infectious disease outbreaks? 

Supporting residents to keep in touch 

Maintaining regular contact with loved ones is essential for the overall health and well-being of those in senior living communities. 

Various studies have shown that consistent social interaction helps to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, improves mood, and provides a sense of connection and support. 

Regulations and guidelines  

Can long-term care facilities limit resident visitation during infectious disease outbreaks? 

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), long-term care facilities can limit resident visitation during infectious disease outbreaks. 

”During infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, the Code of Federal Regulations Title 42, sections 482.13(h), 483.10(f)(4), and 485.614(h), allow hospitals, long-term care facilities, and critical access hospitals to limit patient visitation if the covered facility determines that the limitation is clinically necessary or otherwise reasonable and does not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.   

As with any other reason for limiting visitation, if a facility limits visitation in response to a public health emergency or disease outbreak, it must still comply with applicable regulatory requirements, including maintaining a written visitation policy or procedure and informing patients or residents of that policy or procedure. For long-term care facilities, CMS guidance - PDF notes that if a visitor, resident, or their representative is aware of the risks associated with visitation and the visit occurs in a manner that does not place other residents at risk (e.g., in the resident’s room), the resident must be allowed to receive visitors as they choose.  Compassionate care visits, which include visits for a resident whose health has sharply declined or is experiencing a significant change in circumstances, are to be allowed at all times.” 

Enabling residents to stay in touch 

When relocating a loved one to a senior living community, it’s essential to acknowledge the emotional challenges the resident and their family and friends may encounter. The process can be emotionally draining as concerns about the loved one’s well-being come to the forefront. Therefore, family members and friends must maintain consistent and open lines of communication to ease any worries or anxieties that may arise. 

Additionally, it is crucial for residents’ health and well-being to feel supported and connected to their family and friends.   

If senior living communities are not permitting visitors, it is vital to establish another way to facilitate regular contact between residents and their loved ones.  

ResHub, valued for its effectiveness and rapidly increasing popularity within the senior living and care industry across America, is an easy-to-use, fully integrated ‘hub’ that facilitates communication and interaction between residents, their families, and senior living staff members, life enrichment, and concierge teams. 

By doing so, ResHub significantly enhances the residents’ daily experience, providing them with a well-rounded and personalized support system.  

Bringing residents’ family engagement to the next level!  

With ResHub, senior living staff members, life enrichment, and concierge teams can seamlessly share special moments, photos, videos, and messages with residents, family members, and friends. This helps to foster a deeper connection with the daily life and experiences of their loved ones in senior living communities. 

Additionally, residents can conveniently communicate with their family members and friends no matter where they are.  

ResHub’s intuitive, user-friendly platform makes it easy for family members and staff to schedule and conduct video calls. This ensures that residents can stay connected with their loved ones and support networks, fostering a sense of comfort and support.  

And that’s not all! ResHub’s capabilities go beyond just that!

From giving families real-time access to their loved ones’ care information to offering senior living staff members, life enrichment, and concierge teams valuable insights into resident participation levels in activities within the home, ResHub enables senior living communities to deliver a fully connected experience with social wellness and family inclusion at the forefront while also driving operational efficiency and revenue growth. 

Help residents stay connected with ResHub 

Speak to our experienced team of experts to explore ResHub’s wide range of capabilities.