Lutheran Services Carolinas is happy to announce that our skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities have received the go-ahead from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to allow scheduled indoor and outdoor visitation, if certain criteria are met.
Visitation will begin as soon as the required infection prevention measures for safe visitation are in place, and the administrator will announce the start date for visitation in each community.
Indoor visitation will be permitted for skilled and assisted living communities that have had no new onset of COVID cases in 14 days and are not currently undergoing outbreak testing.
In addition, communities must follow the guidelines of COVID-19 infection prevention, to include the following:
• Screening of all who enter the facility for signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• Hand hygiene (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred)
• Face covering or mask (covering mouth and nose) for both visitors and residents
• Social distancing at least six feet between persons
• Instructional signage throughout the facility and proper visitor education on COVID19
signs and symptoms, infection control precautions, other applicable facility practices
• Cleaning and disinfecting high frequency touched surfaces in the facility often, and
designated visitation areas after each visit
• Appropriate staff use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Daily screenings conducted by staff for temperature check, presence of symptoms, and
known exposure to COVID-19 of all residents and staff.
Outdoor visitation can take place in skilled and assisted living communities even if the
community is on the outbreak list.
LSC independent living communities have begun allowing up to two visitors at a time for apartment/cottage visitation, with screening and appropriate safety measures. With safety measures, independent living residents can entertain visitors outdoors anywhere on the campus.
The residents and families of Lutheran Services Carolinas have been incredibly patient with the protective measures our communities put into place months ago to ensure the safety of residents.
We appreciate their cooperation and look forward to moving forward in a prudent way to allow visitation.
If you have questions about how visitation will work at a specific community, please contact the administrator/executive director of that community.
