April 14, 2020 – Washington Co., WI – Neighbors in Washington County are cheering the news that the State of Wisconsin Board on Aging has backed off its decision to ban families from holding window visits with senior citizens and loved ones inside nursing homes during the COVID-19 scenario.
An updated post was on the organization’s webpage today.
The State of Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care is retracting the Memo dated April 13, 2020. Please see the attached revised Memo dated April 14, 2020. Our Memo providing recommendations regarding “window visits” in Long Term Care communities was an attempt to respond to numerous accounts we have received of individuals visiting long-term care residents outside of the windows, yet having contact such as kissing through a screen, hugging through an open window and not maintaining social distancing. This was also in attempt to respond to concerns for residents with dementia who are confused when visitors they do not know may be looking inside their windows or visiting at nighttime. We did not intend to recommend prohibiting allowed essential activities such as waiving to a resident through a closed window or providing care essential to someone’s health and safety. We apologize for any confusion.
