Nursing homes, assisted living facilities restrict visitors in response to COVID-19

Area nursing homes, long-term care centers and assisted-living facilities are taking precautions to protect residents from COVID-19, which poses a higher risk to older adults and folks with serious underlying medical conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hollis Patterson, 84, of Jackson hasn’t seen his wife of nearly 65 years, Jeanette, 81, since Friday, and he isn’t sure when he’ll see her next. She’s a resident of the Arbors at Capetown and has Alzheimer’s disease.

For Hollis, the necessary restrictions the Americare Senior Living facility has placed on visitors are a painful reality of dealing with COVID-19.

“They told me, effective immediately, no visitors would be allowed in there,” Hollis said by phone Monday, noting Jeanette has been at the facility for about two and a half years.

Hollis and Jeanette first met when they were teenagers, at 15 and 13 years old, respectively.

An entry in Jeanette Patterson's diary and photos from July 12, 1953, are seen Tuesday next to a cedar chest -- the first gift she received from Hollis Patterson, her husband of nearly 65 years.BEN MATTHEWS

Asked whether he could communicate with Jeanette by phone, Hollis said, “No.”

“Sometimes she knows me, but most of the time, she don’t know who I am,” he said. “It has been awful.”

On Tuesday, Americare senior vice president of sales and marketing Patricia Cokingtin said the restrictions are in line with guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

One such restriction is limiting visitors to families of a loved one at end of life or on hospice services, outside health care professionals and essential vendors or delivery personnel. Those experiencing a temperature of 100.4 degrees, a runny nose, cough or sore throat will not be allowed inside the facility.

“It breaks our heart to be separating spouses or children from their parents, don’t get us wrong, it really does,” Cokingtin said. “But we’re doing what we can to really mitigate the possibility of infection in our buildings, and so this is the best step we could take.”

According to a company news release shared with the Southeast Missourian on Tuesday, none of Americare’s 144 facilities across five states had any known cases of COVID-19 as of last Friday.

Residents are being screened daily, the release stated, and staff members are being reeducated on proper infection control procedures. Cokingtin noted the importance of finding other ways to connect residents and family members, especially in memory-care facilities such as the Arbors at Capetown.

“Currently, our IT department is making sure that all of our communities are equipped with iPads that can facilitate FaceTime and Skype,” Cokingtin said. “We are doing all sorts of workarounds and making sure that we help keep our residents connected with those family members.”

Cokingtin said Americare would release a statement Friday with updated COVID-19 information for its facilities. By the end of the business day, updates can be found at americareusa.net.

Chateau Girardeau

Several facilities in the Cape Girardeau area have implemented similar lockdown protocols, including Chateau Girardeau, which is limiting visitors, restricting access to regulated areas and screening staff for symptoms, according to president and CEO Keith Boeller.

Due to the changing nature of information regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, Boeller was unable to provide a definitive date on when the virus protocols would be lifted.

“At this time, we can’t say,” he wrote in a Tuesday correspondence to the Southeast Missourian. “We are staying on top of any changes and will take direction and guidance from CMS and the CDC.”

Charles Thurman waves to his family from his balcony at Chateau Girardeau. Many residents living in retirement communities are not allowed visitors at this time due to COVID-19 concerns.Submitted by Cindy Olson

Boeller noted there were no temporary reductions in Chateau Girardeau staff, and as per the facility’s normal infection-prevention protocols, “we are encouraging proper hygiene and handwashing.”

Staff members, he said, are being discouraged from participating in communal gatherings, and meals are being provided to staff so they “don’t have to leave work unnecessarily.”

“Most healthcare workers are aware of their responsibilities and are taking the COVID-19 risk seriously,” Boeller wrote, “including taking steps to avoid places with high concentrations of people.”

Veterans Home

The Cape Girardeau location of the Missouri Veterans Home is following guidelines set forth by the CDC and Department of Health and Senior Services, according to Jamie Melchert of the Missouri Veterans Commission.

Melchert said Veterans Home staff members are being screened as they enter and exit the facility, and protocols will remain in place until further notice.

Lutheran Home

On Sunday, the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau posted a letter by COO Teresa Brown to its Facebook page notifying the community of its COVID-19 policy. Until further notice, outside visitors will not be allowed into Lutheran Home’s Health Center or assisted-living buildings.

Possible exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for “families who need to visit for critical or time-sensitive reasons” such as hospice-related visits, the letter stated.

“We understand it may be difficult to stay away from your loved one, but please understand the importance of keeping the virus out of our building,” Brown wrote. “ ... You have entrusted us to care for your loved ones and their health is our number one priority.”

On Thursday, a post on the Lutheran Home Facebook page encouraged folks to send messages to residents by email using the email address lhfriends@lhcape.com. The post asked people to include the name of the intended recipient in the subject line and said staff members would deliver the messages.

The Lutheran Home on Thursday also began a program called “Staying Connected Through Window Visits,” in which family and friends of assisted-living residents are encouraged to sign up for in-person visits through the facility’s windows.

Those interested in participating may sign up by calling ahead and speaking with a staff member at (573) 335-0158.

“We are working to find creative ways to keep our neighbors at Assisted Living connected with families, and this is a big step,” a Wednesday Facebook post announcing the program stated. “Times will be limited because we want to be considerate of all families and residents and ensure that our neighbors can still enjoy our patio when the weather is nice.”

Most area facilities have shared notices of their COVID-19 protocols on Facebook and their websites, where additional information can be found.

Asked what he’d like the community to know about the status of preventative measures at Chateau Girardeau, Boeller encouraged family members and friends of residents to take precautions.

“ ... The best thing to do right now is to take the opportunity to relax at home and avoid any communal places,” he wrote. “While we cannot accept any visitors, we encourage the community to visit our Facebook page to share any positive comments for our residents and/or staff.”