Specialized Information for:
Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocatesCOVID-19Recent News & Resources:
* Spending Time with Loved Ones During the Holidays
* New Guidance from CDC to Reduce Spread of COVID-19 in Assisted Living Faciities
* Guidance for Masking During Visitation in Nursing Homes
Listen to the Stories of Residents
Part of being a good advocate is taking care of yourself, read our fact sheets for tips on how family caregivers and residents can take care of themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Resource Archive
The Resident Advocate Newsletter (May 2021)
Nursing Home Visitation and Quarantine: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & Advocacy Strategies for Families (March 2021)
Technical Assistance Brief: Does the Federal Eviction Moratorium Apply to Long-Term Care Facilities? (April 2021)
Oppose Immunity for Long-Term Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic Issue Brief - The Coalition for the Protection of Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities' statement
Should I take my loved one home during the COVID-19 crisis? - Consumer Voice and National Center on Elder Abuse Fact Sheet
Holiday Visits and COVID-19 (December 2020)
The Resident Advocate Newsletter (October 2020)
Webinar: Family Advocacy for Residents during COVID (6/18/2020)
The Resident Advocate Newsletter (April 2020)
Summary of CMS Waivers for Nursing Homes (April 2020)
COVID-19 and Nursing Homes: What Residents and Families Need to Know (March 2020)
Recommendations for Protecting Residents and Staff of Long-Term Care Facilities (March 2020)
Visitation
On March 10, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated their Nursing Home Visitation Guidance (QSO-20-39-NH Revised). Residents, regardless of vaccination status, can choose not to wear face coverings or masks when other residents are not present and have close contact (including touch) with their visitor. The guidance states that visitors should wear face coverings or masks and physically distance when around other residents or healthcare personnel, regardless of vaccination status.
The guidance was also updated to align with the CDC's use of the term "up-to-date" with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses rather than "fully vaccinated."
Visitation policies from the November 12, 2021 update of this guidance remain. Visitation is allowed at all times for all residents, this includes indoor visitation. Read Consumer Voice's resource on the guidance: Nursing Home Visitation Guidance Points. Consumer Voice provided an updated overview of nursing home visitation in January 2021.
The November guidance states:
FAQs about the Guidance from CMS (2/2/2022)
Consumer Voice Summary of the FAQs (1/6/2022) and the Updates to the FAQs (2/2/2022)
Core Principles of Infection Prevention
Testing
CMS has updated its testing guidance QSO-20-38-NH (3/10/2022) to state that long-term care residents and staff with COVID-19 symptoms or who have had close contact with someone in the facility who tested positive must be tested immediately, regardless of vaccination status. The memo was also revised to align with the CDC's use of the term "up-to-date" with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses rather than "fully vaccinated." Facility staff who are not up-to-date on their vaccines should be tested according to community transmission guidelines.
Quarantine
Whether a resident should be quarantined depends on factors such as vaccination status, exposure to someone with COVID-19, and length of time outside of the facility. CMS updated its guidance QSO-20-39-NH Revised (3/10/2022) regarding quarantine, and updated the guidance to align with the CDC's use of the term "up-to-date" with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s guidance (2/2/2022) regarding infection prevention and control to prevent COVID-19 spread in nursing homes includes important information about when nursing home residents are required to quarantine. Read Consumer Voice's summary.
In February 2022, the CDC updated its Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel and provided updated definitions for "fully vaccinated" and being "up-to-date" on your vaccinations.
Waivers Related to Nurse Aide Training
On April 7, 2022, CMS rescinded emergency waivers, including of training and certification requirements for nurse aides. Read Consumer Voice's summary.
CMS rescinded emergency waivers related to notice prior to discharge/transfer, care planning, and submission of Minimum Data Set. Waivers related to nurse aide training remain. QSO-21-17-NH (4/8/2021) Read Consumer Voice's summary.
Reduced training puts residents and staff at risk. Less training leaves workers less equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to provide quality care. Workers with less training are more likely to be injured and to cause injury to residents. Furthermore, work experience as a TNA during the pandemic does not equate to training. To ensure quality care for nursing home residents, temporary nurse aides must complete the full federally required training. Read the issue brief.
More Info on CMS & CDC Guidance
Consumer Voice supports safe visitation including vaccination for all long-term care residents and visitors to long-term care facilities and adhering to the Core Principles of Infection Prevention including mask wearing.
Despite the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations, the precipitous decline of COVID-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes, and the relaxation of some visitation restrictions, residents and families continue to face limitations on visitation and daily activities. In January 2021 and again in June 2021, Consumer Voice released reports detailing the devastating effects of limiting visitation on nursing home residents.
Share your experience in a survey.
Current Legislative Initiatives Consumer Voice Statements, Letters, & Comments
CDC: Long-Term Care Residents and Loved Ones: Answering Common Questions about COVID-19 Vaccines
National Center on Elder Abuse: Keeping Family Together During COVID-19: A Checklist
National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC): Tips for Ombudsman Program Communication with Residents, Long-Term Care Facilities, Families and the Public During COVID-19
Institute on Aging: Frequently Asked Questions and Resource Guide on COVID-19 Related Scams; FAQs also available in Spanish, Chinese, and Russian
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Supporting Your Loved One in a Long-Term Care Facility
National Center on Law & Elder Rights: Advance Care Planning and COVID-19 (May 2020)
NCLER: Nursing Homes Residents, Medicaid and Stimulus Checks: What You Need to Know