CT nursing home visitation moving in right direction, but still far from where we need to be

September 24, 2020

Sen. Kelly Statement on Expected Nursing Home Visitation Changes

  

HARTFORD – After advocating for Governor Ned Lamont to revise his nursing home visitation guidance to allow for safe indoor family visits for all residents, Senator Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford), ranking member of the Aging Committee, is appreciative of the state working to implement new visitation orders from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would allow for expanded indoor visitation. However, Sen. Kelly is also advocating for increased access and specific plans to prevent against future isolation of residents.

 

“I am encouraged by the new CMS guidance and the administration’s openness to working with the Long Term Care Ombudsman to implement indoor family visitation and hope they move forward quickly,” said Sen. Kelly. “Connecticut appears to be moving in the right direction, but the state is still far from where we need to be when it comes to policies that impact the elderly in our nursing homes. Most nursing home residents do not have time on their side, and they deserve to be able to see their loved ones. The negative impact of isolation on mental and physical health can be just as dangerous as the pandemic itself and must not be overlooked. We need to make sure CMS policies are implemented quickly and safe visitation is allowed for all residents at all qualifying facilities without delay. Even with the governor’s last round of changes, I have heard of families still not being able to see their loved ones even when they were near death. That is unacceptable.”

 

CMS has now expanded visitation guidance to include indoor visitation for COVID negative residents, as long as the nursing home does not have an outbreak of the virus. The Governor’s administration has indicated that they are working with DPH and the Long Term Care Ombudsman to implement new policies in line with this guidance.

 

“Isolation can cause extreme damage to a person’s overall health. Restrictive visitation has harmed many nursing home residents at a time when they were facing terrifying conditions. We cannot allow that to happen ever again and we must do more to prepare for any potential second wave of infections,” said Kelly.

 

“The percentage of covid-related deaths occurring in Connecticut nursing homes has far exceeded numbers in other states at shocking levels. Connecticut’s failure to address the needs of nursing home residents and workers early on in the pandemic led to a death rate in Connecticut that also outpaces other states where infections continue today. Connecticut needs to focus more on patient-centered care and the overall health and wellbeing of those most vulnerable during this pandemic. I truly hope this is a positive step forward for nursing home residents and their families but so much more still must be done,” said Kelly.

 

Senator Kelly has previously questioned the state’s nursing home preparedness, sending a letter to Governor Lamont earlier this month  raising multiple questions about what the state is doing to prepare for any potential resurgence of COVID-19 in Connecticut long term care facilities.

 

All 14 members of the Senate Republican Caucus wrote to Governor Lamont on August 28, 2020 following his prior limited expansion of indoor visitation to ask that indoor visits be allowed for all residents, not just those near death or who have recently declined. Read their letter here.