FLORENCE, Ala. — The Alabama Nursing Home Association said it’s very appreciative of all that Governor Kay Ivey and Dr. Scott Harris have done to help nursing homes get through the pandemic, including the amended order that now allows two visitors per resident at a time.
"Now when we are able to host visits under those federal guidelines, two people can come visit their loved one that's living in a nursing home at the same time, that'll help more family members be able to visit their loved ones,” Alabama Nursing Home Association Spokesman John Matson said.
The keyword there, according to Matson, is federal. Aside from the extra visitor, operations at nursing homes won't change.
"We are still under the federal visitation restrictions that have been in place since March of 2020 and then were revised in September of 2020,” Matson said. “We are very hopeful that the federal government will revise those at some point in the near future."
Matson said nursing homes must follow those federal guidelines despite any changes made at the state level.
"All nursing homes across the country are regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, often called CMS, and that's our ultimate regulatory authority and that's who we answer to,” Matson said. “If we don't follow the CMS regulations and guidelines, nursing homes could be heavily penalized all the way up to CMS closing that nursing home."
Matson said positive coronavirus cases are declining and most nursing homes in the state have already had three vaccine clinics. He's hopeful that data will allow for revisions to the current federal guidelines.
Mitchell-Hollingsworth Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Florence now allows indoor visitors and sees the change in visitor numbers as a benefit for the residents and their families.
The Link LonkMarch 05, 2021 at 08:09AM
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