Specialized Information for:
Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocatesCOVID-19Recent 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
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)
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.
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
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