Residents of senior care facilities have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and on top of that is the need to lock down the facilities to not allow anyone inside but employees. This of course is devastating to many of the residents causing them to feel lonely and isolated.

Since March visitors have been banned form nursing homes and assisted living facilities, with family lucky if they can wave to their loved ones from afar or having to resort to facetime chats on a computer or phone.

But with positive signs that the virus is losing strength in Long Term Care Facilities state health regulators are now allowing people to visit their loved ones through the windows of their facilities. Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said to the Star Tribune "We are very aware of the negative impacts on persons residing in congregate settings as well as their families in not being able to be together. We have been looking at and working on ways that might represent low risk and wanting to get that guidance up quickly.”

Long-term care facilities continue to account for most of the deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota, but there are signs that the virus is on the decline in these communities. According to Star Tribune " Rules on window visits have varied from one facility to the next; some allow people to talk through screens or slight cracks in windows, while others prohibit such visits altogether. Limits on indoor visits will remain in place, but those who choose to make a window visit at a long-term care facility will be expected to maintain physical distancing. Both the resident and visitor should wear cloth masks and stay 3 feet back from an open window."

I have a close friend who's Mom has been in a nursing home for well over a year and since the Pandemic he and his family members were only able to visit through a closed window and talked on the phone. This will be a nice change for people to feel closer to their family members or friends and with it being Summer it makes it a little easier weather wise to visit from the outside looking in.

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