March 25, 2021

Dear Families,

Since March 2020, to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities, CMS and the CDC have restricted visitations in facilities.  In August 2020, we began offering outside visitations at St. Francis Senior Ministries for residents to be able to visit with their families.  In October, we started inside visitation.  However, due to an increase in positive cases of COVID-19 at St. Francis we had to stop inside visitation at the end of October.  In February, we again started our indoor visitations but these have all been conducted in a central location in the conference room in front of our reception desk. 

Beginning on Monday, March 29, 2021 we will again be changing our visitation structure.  On March 29^th, if the resident has been fully vaccinated, we will be offering longer visitation times held in residents’ rooms.  This will also allow us to have an increase in the amount of visits we are able to allow at once and loosen some of the restrictions during the visit that we previously had.  The guidelines for the visits for vaccinated residents are posted with this letter.  If a resident is not fully vaccinated, we will be following the same visitation guidelines that we have been using since February.  These guidelines are also posted with this letter.  Please note that the differences in visitation guidelines were specified by CMS and a signed order by the Ohio Department of Health.  I have attached the link to the order.  To get to the specific health order I am referring to please click the below link, then click the tab on the left side that says Ohio Department of Health, and then click the first option that says “Director’s Amended Order to Permit Access to Ohio’s Nursing Homes, with Exceptions”.  This is dated 3/23/2021. 

https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/healthcare-providers-and-local-health-districts/Public-Health-Orders

Please understand that our greatest priority is keeping your loved ones and the staff that care for your loved ones safe.  We will ask that you follow the guidelines that are posted with this letter.  The guidelines will also be posted when you come to visit your loved one.  These guidelines will also give more direction on how the visitations will work.

We look forward to starting these visits and we look forward to seeing everyone!  Thank you for your support during these challenging times.

Sincerely,

Gabe Stoll

Executive Director

St. Francis Senior Ministries