Oregon Officials Restrict Visits to Residents in Care Homes

State health officials in Oregon this week announced restrictions for visitors to 670 senior care communities in an effort to contain the coronavirus, reports the Salem Reporter . Their recommendations affect approximately 30,000 long-term care community residents. Seniors still living on their own or with family have been advised not to leave home. Oregon Department of Human Services Director Fariborz Pakseresht and Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen added that operators of the state's 1,700 adult foster care homes and anyone caring for a senior Oregonian at home should comply with this guidance as well. Only "essential individuals" will be admitted to care communities under the new regulations, including staff and vendors, state ombudsman and personnel, family and friends attending to an end-of-life circumstance, and those "essential" to the "emotional well-being and care" of residents. Pakseresht said individual communities would decide about who is "essential" to visit, as well as how to inform residents about the new restrictions. Oregon health authorities also instructed community operators to limit community outings and arrange "virtual visits" for residents. The new restrictions will be in effect indefinitely.