Visitation Guidelines

To promote the comfort and well-being of our residents, Facility Quiet Hours are between 8 pm and 8 am. The facility does not have set Visitor Hours. Residents have the right to receive visitors of their choosing at the time of their choosing, and in a manner that does not impose on the rights of another resident, such as a clinical necessity or safety restriction. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our facility will facilitate in-person visitation consistent with the applicable CMS and IDPH regulations. Adherence to the core principles of infection prevention and control is an evidence-based way to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Residents have the right to make choices about aspects of their lives in the facility that are significant to their wellbeing. Therefore, if a resident receives a visitor in their room and the visit occurs in a manner that does not place other residents at risk, residents will be allowed to receive visitors in the manner they choose.

  • ● Although there is no limit on the number of visitors that a resident can have at one time, visits should be conducted in a manner that adheres to the core principles of infection prevention and control and does not increase COVID-19 infection risk to other residents. The safest practice is for residents and visitors to wear source control and physically distance, particularly if either of them are at risk for severe disease or are unvaccinated.

  • ● Our facility may take additional measures to make visitation safer, while ensuring visitation can still occur. This includes requiring that, during visits, residents and visitors wear masks that are well-fitting, and preferably those with better protection, such as surgical masks or KN95s. This is regardless of vaccination status. Surgical masks or KN95s are available to visitors.

  • ● Visitors who are unwilling or unable to adhere to the core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention and control will not be permitted to visit or will be asked to leave.

  • ● If a resident’s roommate is unvaccinated or immunocompromised (regardless of vaccination status), visits should not be conducted in the resident’s room, if possible.

  • ● If the county COVID-19 community level of transmission is substantial-to-high, all residents and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, should wear face coverings or masks and physically distance at all times.

  • ● Touch-based communication may be necessary for residents with combined hearing and vision impairment, but increased use of touch-based communication may necessitate higher levels of hand hygiene, respiratory protection, and/or other protections that may be appropriate in such situations.

  • ● Illinois Executive Order 2020-21 (COVID-19 EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 87), requires residents to wear face coverings while indoors in public areas and visitors to wear source control at all times while in the building. In addition, it states that face coverings may be removed temporarily while actively eating or drinking when persons can consistently maintain 6 feet of distance. Visitation is recommended in the following locations:

  • ● Multipurpose rooms

  • ● Dining areas

  • ● Designated visitation rooms

  • ● Outdoors Indoor Visitation During an Outbreak

  • ● While it is safer for visitors not to enter the facility during an outbreak, visitors are allowed in the facility.

  • ● Visitors will be made aware of the potential risk of visiting during an outbreak and adhere to the core principles of infection prevention.

  • ● If residents or their representative would like to have a visit during an outbreak, they should wear well-fitting masks during visits, regardless of vaccination status.

  • ● Visits should occur in a designated area rather than public areas on the affected unit(s).

  • ● There may be times when the scope and severity of an outbreak warrants the health department to recommend a pause or limitations on visitation as a temporary, short-term intervention (e.g. 14 days). We expect these situations to be extremely rare and only occur after the facility has been working with the local health department to manage and prevent escalation of the outbreak. Compassionate Care Visits While end-of-life situations have been used as examples of compassionate care situations, the term “compassionate care situations” does not exclusively refer to end-of-life circumstances. Compassionate care visits and visits required under federal disability rights law should be allowed at all times regardless of a resident’s vaccination status, the community transmission levels, or an outbreak. Visitation Guidelines are subject to change based on CDC, CMS, IDPH, or facility policies and procedures. Updated: February 2022