The State of Colorado recently released guidelines to allow for indoor visitations at residential care facilities.
However, neither Yuma Life Care Center nor The Harmony Home are moving toward indoor visitations at this time.
In fact, both have stopped outdoor and window visitations as well.
Yuma Life Care Center Administrator Lance Pool said one reason is Yuma County has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases, which he said was due to more testing.
Another reason is Life Care has had a staff member and resident test positive recently. Pool said both were asymptomatic, and there have not been more cases within the facility. Everyone associated with the facility is tested weekly.
Pool said Life Care will have to go two weeks symptom free and with no positive test results before moving back toward even window or outdoor visitations. He stressed that the facility is in contact with the Northeast Colorado Health Department two or three times per week making sure they are doing all they can.
The Harmony Home has halted all visitations while waiting to see what the current COVID outbreak does. Owner Kendall Rubottom said she hoped it would last only a week or so before resuming outdoor visitations.
As for going to indoor visits, Rubottom noted that essential partners, such as Home Health workers, are allowed to enter the building. However, she said criteria required by the state for indoor visits of “non-essential” visitors is preventing indoor visits.
“Once the weather starts to turn cold, we will make accommodations for indoor visits for family and friends while still practicing masking, social distancing and screening all visitors,” Rubottom said in an email.
