DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Starting next month, outdoor visitation will be permitted at some senior care and developmental disability facilities in Ohio.
Assisted living facilities and intermediate care for development disabilities can reopen on June 8th for outdoor visitations.
Governor DeWine said the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes makes reopening a difficult decision, which is why nursing homes are not opening just yet.
“We’re trying to do everything we absolutely can to keep COVID out of the nursing homes,” DeWine said. “We also know people are suffering by not having these visits.”
The state will start with outdoor visits at assisted living and intermediate care facilities.
Guidelines require visitors to be screened and temperatures taken, there must be scheduled times for visits. and social distancing measures need to be followed.
“It’s definitely going to look different than it has in the past,” chief operating officer at Miami Valley Hospital Dr. Jennifer Hauler said.
Hauler said there will be challenges navigating the new guidelines, so the state’s flexibility with how they’re implemented will be beneficial.
“Our facilities are different sizes, so what works in one location or one spot might not work in another,” Hauler said.
After an outbreak of cases earlier this year at Koester Pavilion and SpringMeade Health Center, Premier Health will approach reopening their nursing homes with caution, when the time comes.
“There’s always concern with any reopening, so reopening of nursing homes, reopening of restaurants, reopening of theme parks, all of that means that we just have to be more diligent about making sure we keep each other safe,” Hauler said.
Governor DeWine said the state will closely monitor the spread of the virus when making decision to reopen more facilities.
