New! Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Updating and Clarifying COVID-19 Vaccination Deadlines for Covered Workers at Health Care Facilities and High-Risk Congregate
Effective immediately! All long term care facilities now must allow visitation, including during an outbreak. View DOH EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVE (December 22, 2022 )
On November 12th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its federal visitation guidance. This guidance requires LTC facilities to allow indoor visitation "at all times and for all residents…"
NEW! View CMS Current Guidance (updated September 23, 2022)
LTCO SOCIAL ISOLATION PROJECT
The Social Isolation Project (SIP) began in November 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term care (LTC) facility visitations were restricted and residents were cut off from family, friends, advocates, and regular activities. It became apparent that because of ongoing social isolation, residents had increased depression, loneliness, anxiety, worsening dementia, and failure to thrive.
In response, the SIP staff visits long-term care facilities including, but not limited to, Nursing Homes and Residential Health Care Facilities (RHCF) to check on isolated residents and to make sure facilities are doing everything to maximize residents’ rights during this unprecedented time.
The SIP staff make unannounced visits and talk to residents to get a true sense of how things are in the long-term care community. Then they work with staff to suggest creative ways residents can socialize and communicate, and to resolve any other problems residents face. They remind residents and staff the importance of residents’ rights including the right to meaningful activities, the right to regular visits with family and friends (through window, phone, or video, if indoor visits not possible), and the right to regular access to outside areas and fresh air.
Here are some specific roles and responsibilities of the SIP team:
If you would like to contact a member of the Social Isolation Team, please call 877-582-6995.