KDADS releases COVID-19 Guidelines for Assisted Living Facilities, Home Plus, Residential Health Care Facilities, Continuing Care Retirement Communities and other state-licensed settings
The State of Kansas recommends that state licensed facilities including assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, home plus, board and care homes, residential care facility, group home arrangements, residential providers for persons with intellectual or developmental disability, intermediate care facilities, and other settings regulated by KDADS follow the same guidelines to reduce infection risk issued by CMS.
On March 13, 2020 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued guidance to nursing homes on infection control and prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This document can be found at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf. The document provides guidance in a number of areas about limiting the transmission of COVID-19 in institutional settings including:
- Recommending restricting visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except in certain end of life situations.
- Notifying visitor or potential visitors about the limitations and deferring visitation until further notice.
- Cancelling communal dining and group activities.
- Reminding residents and staff about social distancing and hand hygiene.
- Screening staff and residents for fever and respiratory symptoms.
- Making alternative means available for visitors including virtual communication, phone lines, and regular communication from the facility to families.
