To all Chautauqua Residents, Families, and Friends;
We are happy to announce NEW guidance that has been issued regarding visitation in long term care facilities! These guidelines will take effect March 12, 2021.
As with our previous visits, we are guided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals to develop visitation guidelines – we feel we have developed safe and appropriate guidelines that will be of benefit to everyone.
We would like to remind everyone involved with visits that if you are experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms or if you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 infection in the prior 14 days regardless of your vaccination status to please cancel your visit to protect the health and safety of all of the residents and staff in our facilities. The most common symptoms related to COVID-19 are: cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle or body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell.
As COVID vaccinations continue to be administered in the public and most of our residents, tenants and staff have received the vaccine, it is strongly encouraged that anyone visiting the facilities become vaccinated when they have the opportunity. At this time, CMS continues to recommend maintaining physical distancing and conducting visits outdoors whenever possible, this continues to be the safest way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 particularly if either part has not been fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated is defined as a person who is > 2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or > 2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single dose vaccine per the CDC public health recommendations for vaccinated persons.
Listed below are the guidelines for indoor visitation. Please remember that if we have a positive case of COVID-19 in our facility these visits will be suspended pending facility wide testing and the results of those tests. Visitors will be asked to call facilities to schedule an inside visit with the Activity Director at 9th and 11th Street and any staff member at Riverside. Please call the facilities Monday – Friday 9:00am -3:00pm to schedule indoor/outdoor visits. Residents may have up to 2 guests per visit when conducting indoor visits and up to 4 guests when conducting outdoor visits. To ensure fairness to all residents, visits will be limited to 30 minutes unless scheduling allows for additional time.
1) Visitation can be conducted through various means based on the residents’ needs and space available for the scheduled visit to ensure the Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention are adhered to throughout the entire visit.
2) Each visitor will receive an educational handout explaining Nursing Facility Inside Visitation Guidelines for the visits and must comply with these. Visitors will provide their personal contact information for potential contact tracing if needed.
3) Visits may occur at 6-foot distance from residents with use of mask by both the visitors and the resident or without 6-foot distance if a plexiglass divider is available for use. This continues to be the safest way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 particularly if either party has not been fully vaccinated. However, we acknowledge that there is no substitute for physical contact such as the warm embrace between a resident and their loved one. Therefore, if the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact, including touch, with their visitor while wearing a well-fitting facemask covering the mouth and nose. Hand hygiene must be completed by both the resident and visitors prior to and after the visit.
4) Visitors will be monitored for compliance with guidelines and visits to include screening prior to and at the end of each visit and compliance with the Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention. If guidelines are violated, the visitor will be asked to leave the facility and visitation for that individual may be suspended.
5) Visitors may wear a cloth or disposable procedure mask; neck gaiters will not be allowed. Mask shall be properly worn by covering mouth and nose. If visitors do not have their own mask the facility will provide one.
6) Pets of residents/ visitors may accompany the visitor for visit. Pets will count as a visitor. Pets must be on a leash or in a pet carrier while in the facility and visitor must prevent access of the pet to other residents.
7) No eating, drinking, or smoking will be allowed by visitors during the visits due to the inability to do so while wearing a mask.

We hope these guidelines will allow everyone to balance the psychosocial needs of our residents with the safety precautions still required. If you have questions, please contact the facility Administrator or Activity Director.
Thank you!
Chautauqua Guest Homes Management Team