Outdoor in-person visiting at long term care facilities available

All current indoor visiting restrictions issued in March remain in place.

The Dalles

At the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles, visits began Aug. 11. Flagstone Senior Living in The Dalles began offering outdoor visits shortly after the late July announcement that in-person visits could resume. The Springs at Mill Creek in The Dalles began offering a different form of outdoor visiting in mid-May.

Columbia Basin Care in The Dalles, staff are “working, with guidance from health officials, to put the structure and precautions in place to provide this option in a way that is safe for residents, families and staff,” according to Marketing Director Drew Myron.

Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center is also working on a plan to allow the outdoor visits.

Condon

Summit Springs Village in Condon hopes to have its visitation plan approved by the end of August.

Safety requirements include health screenings, wearing face coverings, keeping physical distancing, and allowing just two visitors at a time.

Facilities with COVID-19 cases or suspected cases may not offer outside visitation until the Oregon Department of Human Services determines the outbreak is over. DHS keeps a list of facilities with active cases, which is updated twice weekly. The list is available online at www.oregon.gov/DHS/COVID-19/Pages/LTC-Facilities.aspx.

No facilities in Wasco or Gilliam counties are on the list at this time.

Facilities work out visit criteria

Outdoor visits at long-term care facilities was allowed to resume in late July, and care facilities in The Dalles have set up various protocol to maintain safe visiting during the COVID pandemic.

Flagstone Senior Living in The Dalles began offering the visits several weeks ago. Visitors must have their temperature taken and answer screening questions. A handwashing station sits outside, and all physically-distanced visits take place outside the office window of Executive Director Sharla Mosqueda.

“Depending on the day, it’s either pretty chill or completely crazy — which is why we are requiring families to call and schedule in advance,” Mosqueda said.

She keeps an eye on each visit, to remind a few people to keep six feet apart or wear their mask correctly.

The Springs at Mill Creek has been doing outdoor in-person visits since Mother’s Day, and will continue in the same manner, said Executive Director Toni Sly.

“We have what’s called the looking glass,” she said, referring to a 12-foot piece of Plexiglas outdoors that separates residents and visitors. The outdoor area also has a roof for shade.

The supervised, scheduled visits are offered five days a week and have proved popular. The Plexiglas is sanitized between visits.

Residents also use the Looking Glass to socialize with each other, she said.

Those who would like to visit should check with the individual facility for more specific guidance on visitation policies prior to going to the facility in person.