5 Safety Tips for Visiting Loved Ones in a Nursing Home

Are you planning to visit a loved one currently living in a nursing home? If you are then we have safety tips for visiting a nursing home that we would like to share with you. While we can be anxious to make these visits, it can help keep everyone safe and healthy to take certain precautions. By following a few safety tips, you can be ready to visit your loved ones in a nursing home as soon as the restrictions in your area allow for in-person visits.

First, call the facility and ask how to visit. To keep everyone safe and healthy, it can be important to follow the facilities guidelines for visits and the facility should be able to share with you its safety tips for visiting a nursing home. If the facility where your loved one is staying requires a negative COVID-19 test prior to visiting, be sure to allow sufficient time to get the test results back before your visit.

Second, monitor your health in the two weeks leading up to the visit, and isolate yourself as much as possible. This is one of the key safety tips for visiting a nursing home. If you are required to take a test, be sure to do that with ample time to receive the results. You may need to sign a statement that you have been symptom-free for a period of time preceding the visit, and you may be required to submit to a temperature check before entering. While it is legal for facilities to require these public health checks, if you feel that you are being singled out for any reason, or are being subject to additional scrutiny, call our firm. These checks cannot be used to discriminate between different groups of people.

Third, be sure to dress appropriately for your visit. Many long-term care facilities are only allowing visits outside. Be sure to dress for the weather, and make sure that the facility helps your loved one to be appropriately dressed as well. Plan to wear a mask and bring an extra.

Fourth, while you are visiting, be attentive to the activity around you. Be sure to ask about the care your loved one is receiving. Your loved one deserves the best care, so take note of his or her complaints and of any other activity that feels “off” to you. With fewer visitors and staff shortages, some facilities may feel the need to cut corners, to the detriment of your loved one. If something seems amiss, call us.

Fifth, enjoy the time with your loved one. While visiting, make sure that your loved one is comfortable using the virtual platform of your choice too. This can also be a great time to connect with the nursing care team, if there has been any staffing changes in the last few months. Before you leave, be sure to reserve your next visit time.

Our experienced team of local attorneys is here to answer your questions. We know local experience matters! For more information on issues impacting our community and our local nursing homes, please reach out to our office. You may call, chat, or contact us at any time. Put our team to work for you!