MINOT, N.D. – Governor Doug Burgum recently announced plans to re-open long term care facilities to the public.
One facility in Minot is working on a way to reconnect residents with their loved ones.
Trinity Homes has already put in a lot of work to make a way for families to reconnect with their loved ones.
Now nearly three months after state guidelines pushed them to enforce restrictions they are preparing ease them again.
Visitation at Trinity Homes looks a lot different than it did months ago.
“The infection control nurse and myself sat down one day and thought how can we make this area into something that residents can actually use,” said Trinity Homes Director of Nursing, Jamie Hammer.
Residents can visit with their loved ones for 15 minutes a day in Trinity’s visit center made of wood and plexiglass. Visitors call to schedule time with their family members so that staff has ample time to transport residents and clean the area.
“From 9 to 4:30 every day we are booked so we have families calling 24 hours in advance to make sure we have staff available because it is a full time person that has to help with this,” said Hammer.
After Governor Burgum announced long term care facilities can open to the public, Trinity Homes has been busy making sure they meet all the guidelines.
“Our plan is to follow what the Governor’s recommendation is and we will start to schedule visitations outside, we do still have to have someone that is assisting with that as there are a lot of requirements that go into that,” said Hammer.
Some of the guidelines include wearing a mask and social distancing between families and residents.
“Which I know is hard for everybody because we really just want to take those loved ones and really give them a hug and let them know that they have be missed,” said Hammer.
The facility will officially start allowing residents visitors pending another round of testing scheduled for Thursday.
Hammer said Trinity Homes could get those results as soon as Friday.
