The Lasting Legacy and Rehabilitation Center in Gillette.
Six months after senior centers and nursing homes implemented policies prohibiting visitation, residents may be reunited with their families.
In a Facebook post Friday, Wyoming House Representative for District 31 Scott Clem said that the elderly population in Wyoming has been “isolated” from visitors as a result of state public health restrictions that were put in place at the beginning of the pandemic. With this, the state granted civil immunity to all facilities that have implemented the various recommendations.
During Governor Mark Gordon’s press briefing Wednesday, Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) State Health Officer and Epidemiologist Dr. Alexia Harrist said that under the current recommendations most senior centers and nursing homes have successfully avoided outbreaks of the virus within their facilities.
At this time, staff and volunteers are permitted onto the sites statewide so long as they’ve been tested for COVID-19; still, families are prohibited from entering the building unless their loved one has been recommended for compassionate care.
In June, Harrist explained, the state gave nursing homes and senior centers the green light to host outdoor visits between residents and their family members. This week, however, low temperatures and cooler conditions occurring across Wyoming have indicated that winter is on its way, Harrist said, so WDH is “working to offer safe potential options” for visitation.
During the Joint Committee on Corporations meeting Thursday, Clem said, he’d inquired about when these restrictions would be updated. At that time, Harrist explained the recommendations from the state will be adjusted to allow families and caregivers to visit residents at nursing homes and senior centers in person by the end of the month.
Clem’s post went on to say that no one is quite sure what the recommendations will allow for or prohibit but added that he is confident that improvements to the current policy will be made.
“Seniors and their loved ones will soon be able to hug each other and express their love and care in person,” he said.
Clem went on to thank the family members who’ve pushed the state to ease restrictions, like Carolyn Sears, who has outspokenly requested to visit her mother who lives at The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center here in Gillette.
Sears, 59, was delighted to see Clem’s post, she said. Since Legacy implemented their no-visitors policy, her mother’s mental, social and physical health has regressed drastically, according to Sears, who said Friday that she has made varied efforts for visitation during this challenging time, but none have worked out quite right.
Each time that Sears has attended a window visit or video call, her mother has walked away in frustration and sorrow about the entire situation.
“She doesn’t understand technology,” Sears said. “When she’s talking to me and not hearing what I’m saying, it starts to wear on her.”
With these difficulties and current restrictions, her mother is lonely, Sears said. The kind of lonesome that can only be cured by physical contact and affection — like a hug.
“All I want is to give my mom a hug so she can find the strength to keep fighting,” she said.
Now, after six months of hearing “no,” Sears may actually get to hold her mother again. If the state eases restrictions, Sears anticipates a complete turn-around in her mother’s condition and behavior.
“I’m expecting my mom to be happier; I’m expecting her to stay awake past 5:30 p.m. again,” Sears said. “I’m hoping to see her try harder at conversations and reduce her level of frustration (with the restrictions).”
The current state public health orders expire on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when a new set of restrictions, guidelines and recommendations will be expected from Gordon.
The Wyoming Department of Health provides COVID-19 case, variant, death, testing, hospital and vaccine data online. The department also shares information about how the data can be interpreted. COVID-19 safety recommendations are available from the CDC.
