CLEVELAND — On Monday, Ohio nursing homes allowed families to visit their loved ones outdoors. Since March, visits have been separated by glass or a phone screen.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced on June 29th that nursing homes that meet all safety standards can begin outdoor visitation on July 20th. This comes after assisted living facilities and intermediate care homes for the developmentally disabled resumed outdoor visitation on June 8th.
When assessing their readiness to permit outdoor visitation, nursing homes should consider:
- Case status in the surrounding community
- Case status in the nursing home
- Staffing levels
- Access to adequate testing for residents and staff
- Personal protective equipment supplies
- Local hospital capacity
After months of waiting, Sam Hemoud says he is ready to sit down with this father.
"[It’s] a miracle, I actually never thought we'd get to this point, honestly,” said Hemoud. "If we can drink a cup of coffee together, that's our go-to thing to do and get some life advice for him and see him laugh."
Hemoud’s father battled the coronavirus and battled not seeing his family for four months.
"We are ready [to see him] just like a lot of other things people are ready for but this is top of our list to do,” said Hemoud.
It's something also on the top of Darlene Dryer's list. But sadly, she can't see her mother again.
"My mother went home to the lord so peacefully and I'm very happy she's in heaven because she suffered so," said Dryer.
Her mother died on July 14 from congestive heart failure. Dryer says she knew that her mother was dying for weeks so she picketed outside of the nursing home as a state policy prevented her from seeing her mother. She was finally let in days before her mother passed.
"I want to be a voice for the people for our senior Americans,” said Darlene. "They have gone through the depression, they fought in World War two, they saw their sons go to Vietnam and now they have no voice."
The order and related guidance will be made available at coronavirus.ohio.gov. Questions may also be directed to the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, an office within the Ohio Department of Aging, at 1-800-282-1206.
RELATED: Gov. Mike DeWine announces Ohio's nursing homes can have outdoor visitation starting July 20