With the continued threat of coronavirus, the Arkansas Department of Health is taking another step to minimize its possible effect on long-term care facilities. Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith says the department is directing all long-term care facilities to prohibit all visitation through April 12.
Exceptions to the prohibition will include medical necessity or a visit by law enforcement, other emergency personnel or representative from the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas Department of Human Services Office of Long-term Care or the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Visitation allowed by the directive is subject to screening requirements unless otherwise provided in a separate directive from the health department. Medically-necessary visits include visitation related to medical treatment and visitation appropriate for a resident’s end-of-life care.
All long-term care facilities should provide alternative means of communication including telephones, video communication and other forms of virtual communication. Residents of long-term care facilities are discouraged from leaving and returning unless medically necessary. Residents returning to a facility shall be screened and evaluated for the need of hospitalization if necessary. For assistance with screening, an optional questionnaire can be accessed online at healthy.arkansas.gov.
According to the Arkansas Code, long-term care facilities include nursing homes, residential care facilities, assisted living facilities, post-acute head injury retraining, residential care facilities and other facilities providing long-term medical or personal care.
Click here to view the full directive from the Arkansas Department of Health.
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