It’s been a long few months. Many of us have not been able to provide the usual care and support to loved ones living in a group living setting during the COVID-19 Pandemic. As of June 18, visits were allowed in long term care homes, retirement homes, and other residential care homes where people live together to receive care and supports in Chatham-Kent (i.e. group homes, shelters, etc.) As of July 15, visiting regulations were updated by the Province of Ontario for long term care homes. 

Before you visit your loved one in any group living setting, ensure you review these very important key points:

• Check with the group living setting before you visit to know whether they are accepting visitors and restrictions before going.
• Visits must be scheduled ahead of time with the group living setting.
• The group living setting must not be in outbreak (i.e. there can be no active cases of COVID-19)
• Do not visit a home if you have any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Visitors must go through screening at the living setting.
• Visitors going inside (as of July 22) must have been tested for COVID-19 within the previous 14 days before visiting and attest to the living setting that they have tested negative.
• Visitors will be required to wear a mask during visits.
• Physical distancing of 6 feet/2 metres must be maintained during visits.
• Visitors must comply with all other additional policies, protocols, and instructions imposed by the living setting.

As of July 15, updates to visiting loved ones in long term care homes was updated by the Province of Ontario. 

When visiting a loved one in a long term care home:

• Outdoor visits with two (2) person at a time per resident, per visit
• Indoor visits with two (2) person at a time per resident, per visit starting July 22 
  • For indoor visits, visitors are required to verbally attest to home staff that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the previous two weeks and not subsequently tested positive.

When visiting a residential care home:

• Only outdoor visits with a maximum of two (2) visitors per resident, per visit are permitted at this time.

When visiting a retirement home:

• Outdoor and indoor visits are permitted.
• If the visit is indoors, a surgical mask must be worn.
• Please contact your specific retirement home for their maximum amount of visitors per resident, per visit.

Please contact the facility you are visiting before going to support them in keeping residents, staff and visitors safe.

For more information about COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, visit our website.