During COVID-19, nursing homes were put under the microscope. The Health Ministry has released a list of nursing homes that have acted appropriately during COVID-19.

To avoid contracting the virus, nursing home staff had to crack down on cleanliness. Another heartbreaking decision that had to be made was decreasing the number of visitors allowed to visit their loved ones everyday. If any at all.

The Health Ministry has assured the public that these actions taken by nursing homes were for the good of everyone. The goal was to protect everyone from contracting COVID-19, not harming them even more.

Procedures

During COVID-19, some nursing homes went as far as limiting the number of staff members allowed to enter. Not only was this decision heartbreaking for employees, but it also prevented adequate care from being given to residents.

According to one former nurse, “This new virus really is some scary stuff. The moment I heard about it, I started praying. It seemed to be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.”

How the Nursing Homes Managed

Overtime, some families pulled their loved ones out of the nursing homes, and to come live at home with them. Where they could be watched and not lonely. Seeing they were in quarantine anyway, at the beginning of 2020.

This had a major blow to some nursing homes, operations wise. Financially these homes took a dive and were severely affected. They had to make due with what they had.

They’ve made some great recovery, but those first couple months, like every other business, they had to adapt and make changes.

New Rules

Frequently washing your hands was already an important regulation, but with COVID-19 and how easily it would spread, hard washing and sanitation had to be taken to a whole new level.

When entering a resident’s room, staff members had to use a disinfectant wipe on their hands. All door knobs and handles were required to be sanitized as well. The bed linens were changed more often.

Masks were required at all times. The number of staff members allowed inside decreased from three to two. Another common rule was how ‘visitors’ were not allowed in at all. Only one resident was permitted to visit a loved one for a certain period of time during the day, and only if they’d been symptom free for several days

When a staff member or visitor showed symptoms, they were required to be placed in a ‘quarantine room’, which was a vacant patient’s room, until the virus could be confirmed.

Extra Precautions

Because the immune system over time weakens, old folks at nursing homes were a huge concern for those families that have loved ones in those homes. They were constantly worried, and feeling scared.

Family members would call more often to check on them. As much as they wish they could be there in person, a phone call would still be lifting spirits there.