Guidelines have been released allowing indoor nursing home and other long-term health care facility visits.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control said that in some cases “compassionate care visits” must be allowed regardless of visitation policies.

Compassionate care visits put the emotional well-being of residents first.

For example, if a resident is in an end-of-life situation, showing signs of distress or depression or grieving a recent family member’s death, compassionate care visits are allowed.

In other situations, indoor and outdoor visits may be permitted with some limitations.

This does not mean all nursing homes will immediately allow indoor visits.

But once they meet certain criteria, they can allow indoor visits.

Each facility must establish its policy and let residents’ family members know.

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