Visitors now allowed at some Mississippi nursing homes

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - After a year of dealing with COVID visitation restrictions, family members and friends can now visit their loved ones at Ridgeland Place Senior Living Community.

They say it’s a sign thing are slowly getting back normal.

Kathy Warren couldn’t wait to embrace her mom. She says it’s something she hasn’t been able to do in a long time.

“It’s been difficult and real depressing. I am just so glad to be able to come in and see her and I can touch her now,” said Warren.

“We came to this decision because the CDC sent out some guidance that states we are allowed to open up again for visitation,” said Executive Wendy Wells.

This is the first week Ridgeland Place has opened to visitor since it was forced to stop indoor visitation when the pandemic started.

“They have been in this community for a year now without being able to see, touch, feel their loved one inside their apartment or inside this building,” she said. “We have had outdoor visitation, but they had to stay six feet away.”

When the new vaccines rolled out across the country, Mississippi made it priority to make the shots available to seniors in assisted living facilities and nursing home. All 70 residents at Ridgeland Place have been vaccinated.

“It is the best thing that has happened to this community,” she said.

The executive director points out that there are still some restrictions in place to keep residents at this facility safe.

Wells says they have limited the number of family members and friends who can visit at one time. Everyone must wear a mask when visiting, wash their hands and visitors are encouraged to get vaccinated before visiting.

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