COVID-19 update: Living with COVID in Long-Term Care

Effective Monday, February 28 at 8 a.m., family presence in long-term care homes will begin to move to open family presence, with the exception of a small number of homes where enhanced precautions  are deemed necessary by the local medical health officer. A complete list of homes and their family presence status is available on the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) website.

This return to pre-pandemic family presence protocols provides the opportunity for all residents to welcome more family and visitors. Family members/support people are essential to the well-being and care of residents, and the SHA has remained committed to allowing as much family presence as safely possible throughout the pandemic. In light of the removal of Public Health Orders effective February 28, policies and guidelines, including outbreak management and infection prevention and control, will reflect the transition to Living with COVID while also ensuring the ongoing safety of our long-term care residents.

Outbreaks will continue to be managed on a case-by-case basis, with the commitment to maintaining a minimum of essential family presence with additional precautions. This approach is more closely aligned to outbreak management for other communicable diseases. Homes will continue to maintain safety protocols, and processes will remain in place for enhanced protocols when necessary (for example, if an outbreak is declared). The SHA will continue to use information from residents and families through the Family Presence Expert Panel to guide decision making as the transition to Living with COVID takes place.

As of February 22, 2022, 55 per cent of SHA long-term care homes (including affiliates) had already transitioned to recovery family presence, accepting additional family and visitors, which is part of the progression to open family presence.

Family presence in acute care facilities remains at Level 1, which means every patient can have two designated essential family/support persons. One person can visit at a time.  

The change in long-term care to open family presence means:

• Families are welcome according to the preferences of the resident.
• Family is defined by the resident. 
• There are no limits to the number of family/support or visitors that can be present at one time.  Frequency of visits can be daily.
• Timing of in-person visits may be subject to scheduling limitations of the home.
• Masks are required in common areas but are no longer required in residents’ rooms, unless the resident is COVID positive and on precautions.
• Residents are able to resume visits in the community, outside of the home.
• Everyone is required to follow SHA guidelines for screening, personal protective equipment and distancing, even if they are vaccinated.

All members of the public are reminded of the following:

• COVID-19 transmits along a spectrum from droplet to aerosol.
• Memorize and recognize the symptoms, which are similar to other respiratory illnesses including the flu and common cold and may include one or more of the following:  fever, cough, headache, muscle and/or joint aches and pains, sore throat, chills, runny nose, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite (difficulty feeding for children), altered sense of taste or smell, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing. Stay home if you have symptoms and monitor yourself.
• Get familiar with testing recommendations: Information on testing can be found on the Saskatchewan Government COVID-19 website.
• Get fully vaccinated and boosted: The data is clear that the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community from serious illness and death is to be fully immunized. For more information on COVID-19, including vaccinations, please visit saskatchewan.ca/COVID19
• Care for yourself and others: Anyone at any age can contract COVID-19. Be kind to each other and to health-care workers.