![Menorah Park assisted living resident Lita Mintz (right) chats with her granddaughter Cary Broday (left) and daughter Enid Gurney on June 8, the first day long-term facilities were open to visitors in Ohio after nearly three months of being closed due to COVID-19. [Menorah Park]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/58ffce2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1995+0+0/resize/840x558!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F6%2F08%2FDSC_0167.JPG)
Some of Ohio's long-term care facilities began outdoor visitation Monday.
After nearly three months, residents in assisted living facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities can now visit with their family members outdoors.
鈥淭his is such a sweet day, in my mind,鈥� said Nancy Sutula, Vice President of Residential Services at Menorah Park in Beachwood. 鈥淩esidents are finally being able to physically see their family members and spend some quality time with them.鈥�
Per state guidelines, residents and visitors are required to wear masks and take social distancing measures. In addition, visits must be scheduled ahead of time.
Sutula said staff members have also asked family members not to touch or hug the residents.
鈥淚t鈥檚 out of an abundance of caution that we鈥檙e just putting these things in place,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is all new for the whole state of Ohio, and I think as we look and make sure there鈥檚 not a spike in COVID that happens after this initial wave of visitation, maybe there will be some looser guidelines for visitation going forward.鈥�
Rose-Mary intermediate care facilities have also implemented precautions. Executive Director Gina Kerman said the company houses 87 individuals with developmental disabilities in various locations in Cuyahoga County.
鈥淟ife got real boring for a lot of us over the past couple of months,鈥� Kerman said. 鈥淸The residents are] very excited to see family when they come.鈥�
She also said staff members will encourage loved ones to socially distance from the residents, but that鈥檚 easier said than done.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really up to the families and the guardians to provide that barrier so there鈥檚 no transmission of anything,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e worked really hard to keep it out of our homes for the past two and a half months, so it is very scary opening the doors up knowing that it hasn鈥檛 gone away yet.鈥�
Kerman said a few family members were visiting residents Monday, with more visits scheduled throughout this week.
Sutula said about 50 families visited across Menorah Park鈥檚 three assisted living buildings Monday.
鈥淵ou could just tell, [the residents] kind of had a little bit more of a spring in their step as they were coming in from those visits, because it really kind of boosted their morale to be able to see their family members again,鈥� she said.
Visitation restrictions have not yet been lifted for nursing homes.
The closure of long-term care facilities to visitors was put in place by Gov. Mike DeWine March 12.
