Many long term care residents have gone more than 100 days without seeing their families because of COVID-19 visitation restrictions. On this episode of the Nursing Home 411 Podcast, we hear from families about their challenges connecting with loved ones during the pandemic and how visitation restrictions have prevented them from providing essential services. Next (11:45), Tony Chicotel of the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) joins the show to explain how the costs of isolation – physical, mental, social – are outweighing that of the disease, and to discuss CANHR’s #VisitationSavesLives” campaign for restoring reasonable visitation to residents in long term care facilities.
Note: Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Background reading and references:
- Visit visitationsaveslives.com to learn more about CANHR’s visitation campaign
- Join CANHR by posting a picture or video on social media and sharing why visitation is important to you. (For assistance check out CANHR’s social media toolkit)
- LTCCC’s blueprint for restoring residents’ rights to visitation and care
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released nursing home reopening guidelines on May 18
- CMS nursing home visitation FAQ (June 23)
- Tony’s recommendations:
- Getting On
- The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson
Host: Eric Goldwein
Music: Liturgy of the Street by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts
