Some Kentucky nursing homes can resume in-person visits Wednesday

LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) -- Kentucky nursing homes can open their doors to visitors once again starting Wednesday.

Betsy Johnson, president of the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities, said she's "cautiously optimistic."

Her mother lives in an assisted living facility, and Johnson said she knows first-hand the emotional toll the shutdown has taken on residents and their family members.

"I think this (reopening) is the right thing to do, and again we're going to do it very carefully," she said.

Wesley Broyles said the shutdown took a toll on his mother, Lottie Broyles, who died in a long-term care facility in Kentucky on May 31 at age 91.

"Mom basically it seemed to me just lost her will to survive," Broyles said.

He said he noticed his mother started to decline after the COVID-19 shutdown.

"It seemed to be brought on quicker by us not being able to be there," he said. "We would FaceTime with her. We would go up and visit through the window, and she just got to the point where she was less and less responsive."

Johnson said mental health can affect physical health.

"We know if you have a mental decline that you're more likely to see a physical decline, especially in the elderly population," she said.

Johnson also knows how devastating COVID-19 can be if it hits a long-term care facility.

To carefully resume visits, Johnson said visitations at long-term care facilities will be appointment based. Visitors will be allowed only in certain areas, temperatures will be checked, and masks will be worn.

Johnson said nursing homes have to be 28 days case free before opening, and if someone falls ill with COVID-19, visitations will stop.

Masonic Homes in Louisville said it cannot allow visits quite yet because it has had cases within the 28-day window, but it hopes to open facilities to visitors sometime next month.

"We are very excited to offer these visits. It is something our residents have been looking forward to," said Nicole Candler, with Masonic Homes Kentucky.

Broyles is happy to hear long-term care facilities are working to reopen, but wishes they could have done so sooner.

"I think if you were to ask my mother, or maybe other people over there, they would rather take the chance of the virus than they would not to have access to people," Broyles said.

Gov. Andy Beshear has said based on the circumstances reopening decisions could be reversed.