**** HEALTH/WELLNESS Media Release
Government Eases Restrictions, Allows Designated Caregivers for Long-Term Care Residents
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Government is further easing restrictions in long-term care homes to allow designated caregivers to help care for and support residents.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for those living in long-term care, and those who love and care for them,” said Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey. “With new cases of COVID-19 remaining low in Nova Scotia, we can continue to ease some of the necessary restrictions. Designated caregivers will now be able to help support the daily care and well-being of residents.”
Designated caregivers can be family members, spouses, friends or other support people. They must be associated with specific caregiving tasks like personal care support, mobility or help with eating, and have an established caregiving relationship with the resident prior to COVID-19.
Long-term care facilities will:
— work with residents, families and substitute decision-makers to identify up to two designated caregivers per resident; only one designated caregiver may visit at a time
— train caregivers on public health requirements, including masking, good hand and respiratory hygiene, and facility procedures
— provide medical masks for caregivers to wear while with residents
— establish processes to screen caregivers upon entry and to easily identify caregivers onsite
Individual long-term care homes will work to implement these changes as early as Sept. 11, while considering the unique situations of residents and caregivers. Potential caregivers will make arrangements with individual facilities for training and visitation.
Quick Facts:
— there are 133 licensed long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia
— testing numbers are updated daily at http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus
— a state of emergency was declared under the Emergency Management Act on March 22 and extended to Sept. 20
Additional Resources:
Information on COVID-19 in Nova Scotia: http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus
Information on long-term care in Nova Scotia: http://novascotia.ca/dhw/ccs/long-term-care.asp
