Dear Residents and Family Members:

WE HAVE GOOD NEWS! Today we received word from the Illinois Department of Public Health that long-term care facilities may allow outdoor visitation for residents under certain conditions.

We are in the process of putting a written plan in place that would allow this to take place in a safe manner for our residents and our visitors. Some of the preliminary requirements that we have seen:

  • Only two visitors at a time for any resident.
  • The visit must take place outdoors and under no circumstances would a visitor be allowed access to the facility. This includes using the restroom.
  • Outdoor spaces must have separate ingress and egress which does not require the visitor to enter the LTCF building.
  • Social distancing of a minimum of six feet must be maintained throughout the visit.
  • Visitation will be by appointment only and visitors must be prescreened by telephone with the CDC symptom checklist not more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled visitation.
  • Visitors will again be screened with the same tool upon arrival to the facility as well as a temperature check.
  • Residents with active COVID-19 or with COVID-19 symptoms are not able to participate in this program.
  • Masks must be worn throughout the duration of the visit by both the resident and the visitor.

We are diligently working to make this happen as quickly as possible and hope to have a final plan we can share with you. Some things that we must consider while developing our plan:

  • What length of time should be allowed for the visit and how often? As space is limited, we want to make sure that everyone who wants to partake is able to do so.
  • As none of our courtyards are accessible without walking through the facility, this may prove challenging. We will work together to find a solution that works! We must find an area that will allow visitors and residents to maintain social distancing at all times during the visit.
  • As supervision is a requirement of this program, when will staff be available to perform this duty?

We are hoping to have a complete plan in place by the middle of next week and will communicate this plan to you. We are excited to welcome you back with open arms, but will take the necessary time to develop a plan that will keep everyone safe.

Regards,

Jina Lebert-Davies
Administrator