COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities

Recent News & Resources:
* Updated Nursing Home Visitation Guidance from CMS
* Spending Time with Loved Ones During the Holidays
* New Guidance from CDC to Reduce Spread of COVID-19 in Assisted Living Facilities

Listen to the Stories of Residents

Consumer Voice Resources for Advocacy & Families

• Guidance for Masking During Visitation in Nursing Homes
• Consumer Voice Webinars
• Nursing Home Visitation and Quarantine: Advocacy Strategies for Families
• CMS COVID-19 Data for Nursing Homes including vaccination rates, COVID-19 cases, and deaths.  Watch a video walkthrough of how to find information on the CMS website. (August 2021)
• Reuniting Residents and Families: What to Look for and Questions to Ask as You Resume Visits in a Long-Term Care Facility
• Family Advocacy for Nursing Home Residents During COVID-19
• Family Councils and Advocacy During COVID-19

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:

• Taking Care of You: Tips for the Family Caregiver
• Taking Care of You: Tips for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities

Resource Archive

CMS Guidance for Nursing Homes

On May 8, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated nursing home guidance. The guidance notes that while the Public Health Emergency (PHE) is ending on May 11, 2023, CMS still expects all nursing homes to adhere to infection control procedures. Read Consumer Voice's summary.

Core Principles of Infection Prevention

Waivers Related to Nurse Aide Training

On May 1, 2023, the Biden Administration announced it would be ending the federal requirement that nursing home workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 on May 11, 2023, the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance addressing how the end of the PHE would affect certain regulatory waivers that had been issued to nursing homes at the beginning of the PHE. Read Consumer Voice's summary.

How Limitation on Visitation Affects Residents

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.

Consumer Voice Statements, Letters, & Comments

Additional Resources

Back to Top