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Legislation would require nursing homes offer virtual visitation

Jacksonville Journal-Courier - 4/22/2021

Apr. 21—A Senate bill making its way through the state legislature would require all nursing homes in the state to offer virtual visits for residents.

Senate Bill 2137 is a response to the increased social isolation stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our state's most vulnerable residents in nursing homes have suffered the worst during this pandemic, with over 77,000 COVID-19 positive cases and more than 10,300 deaths," said Lori Hendren, AARP Illinois' associate director. "There should not be any hesitation from elected officials to act now to offer a simple, humane source of comfort for these residents — access to the voices and faces of the people they love — at a time when they feel most alone."

Supporters including Democratic Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins, Republican Sen. Donald P. DeWitte, Democratic Rep. Anna Moeller AARP Illinois director Bob Gallo, Alzheimer's Association Illinois director David S. Olsen and state long-term care ombudsman Kelly Richards attended a virtual news conference Wednesday in support of the bill.

"We know that over the past year of this pandemic, nursing home residents have suffered beyond what is imaginable," Collins said. "Many have lost their friends or caregivers and have had to live in fear for their own health and safety. Nursing homes in communities of color have been especially hard hit. Senate Bill 2137 offers much-needed relief to these residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (ensures) that nursing homes are better equipped to protect their residents from social isolation in the long term."

The bill comes in the wake of 2020 research that shows the harsh consequences of isolation and loneliness on a nursing home resident's quality of life, including a 50% increased risk of developing dementia, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a nearly fourfold increased risk of death among heart-failure patients.

"One way to combat social isolation is to ensure every long-term care resident and their loved ones can connect virtually," Olsen said. "This measure is a compassionate approach to safeguard our state's most vulnerable population, including those living with Alzheimer's and all other dementia, from loneliness and resulting emotional distress."

Prairie Village Health Care Center administrator Jerri Springer, whose years of experience working in the health care industry prompted her to plan ahead as the COVID-19 pandemic started shutting down the state, also is a proponent of virtual visits in health care facilities.

"We have always allowed virtual visits," she said. "We bought tablets and phones."

Residents' reaction to virtual visits during the pandemic was mixed, Springer said.

"We saw some smile, but we also had issues with the technical part," she said, noting that some residents never got the hang of using the tablets.

Prairie Village always has a caregiver or staff member in the room during virtual visits, to help with any technical issues that arise, Spring said.

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