Read on Twitter
This morning I’m looking at the MCCSS Revised Visitor Guidelines for Congregate Settings with fresh eyes, and through the lens of group home residents (both children and adults) who have developmental disabilities.
I have some thoughts, and a whole lot of questions.
I have some thoughts, and a whole lot of questions.
Initial impression: this appears to have been hastily put together as an afterthought to the updated LTC doc. The formatting, language etc. is not consistent. I could be wrong, but that’s how it appears to me.
The Covid testing requirement seems to have been dropped entirely, for both indoor and outdoor visitors. This aligns with current testing requirements of staff, as far as I am aware.
Unfortunately, this is where the clarity ends.
There are no clear definitions of “visitors”. Terms seem to be applied inconsistently throughout. Was hoping for a clear definition of an essential visitor (family caregiver) and a social (non-essential) visitor.
There are no clear definitions of “visitors”. Terms seem to be applied inconsistently throughout. Was hoping for a clear definition of an essential visitor (family caregiver) and a social (non-essential) visitor.
Ex: here is a new entry to the doc, re: “essential overnight absence” to a family home. Is my son eligible for essential overnight absence with his non-essential parents? If so, is it limited to one night, or can it be several at a time? Who decides if the absence is essential?
There is no longer a mention of a 6’ physical distancing requirement between the visitor and resident, but there is this. Does this mean physical distancing is required between the resident/their visitor and other staff/residents, or between the visitor and the resident?
Residents are now allowed 1-2 visitors. Do they have to be the same 1-2 people each time? My son has 2 parents and a brother, does this allow us to mix up the visitors so he can see all 3 of us over 2 visits?
The self-isolation requirement appears less stringent than before. Previous guidance stated that the resident should be in a single room with a door. Curious about the science/public health basis for this change, and how it will be implemented.
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to how orgs operationalize this guidance. We’ve seen before that it varies widely with each update. I will reserve ultimate judgement until I’ve gone through the process, or hear from others that do.
