DANDRIDGE, Tenn. — When Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the state would allow face-to-face visitors starting June 15, it took many long-term care facilities off guard.
With only five days to prepare when the governor made the announcement June 10, many chose a different timeline to ensure they meet all the state requirements.
WBIR spoke to only a few assisted living facilities that allowed visitors Monday, including Renaissance Terrace in Knoxville. More than 18 other facilities we called said it will likely be a couple of weeks before they decide when and how to accept guests. A hospice service indicated none of the many facilities it partners with were currently allowing visitors.
Facilities have to meet several prerequisites, including no new COVID-19 cases among residents or staff within the last 28 days. The state also does not allow visitation at facilities in counties where the "disease burden" is too high. Simply put, if there are too many new cases of COVID-19 compared to the overall population, visitation is not allowed in the county.
Currently in East Tennessee, only Sevier County exceeds the disease burden threshold. The bar is currently set at a rolling rate of fewer than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days, and it exceeded that limit after nearly 20 to 30 new cases were reported five days last week. As of Sunday, it still exceeded the 14-day average rate with 10.78 new cases, and on Monday the state reported 15 new cases in the county.
In order for Sevier County to meet the prerequisite again, the number of new cases would need to remain consistently below 10 daily for the rolling 14-day average to dip below the threshold.
One of the facilities that was able and ready to increase visitation Monday was Jefferson Park at Dandridge. The facility has not had any cases of COVID-19. Although they allowed visitation, it was done cautiously with outdoor visitation booths that kept a barrier of Plexiglas between residents and visitors.
"We've been fortunate to have no cases thus far. So, in order to continue that, we're taking the most conservative approach," said Roger Mynatt, administrator at Jefferson Park at Dandridge. "I am going to remember today is the smiles and joy on the faces of everyone who was able to see each other for the first time in a few months. It's been great to be able to see them visit, see that togetherness, that love."
Cindy Parton visited her 87-year-old mother at the home Monday. Even though there was a Plexiglas barrier, Parton said it was more personable than the previous method of talking to her mother through a doorway or an exterior window of the building with a telephone.
"It was easier to talk to her. And you could be a little bit closer than through the window. You could hear better. And because we don't have to use the phone to talk to each other, I could use it to Facetime with my grandchildren. Then I was able to let them talk with her, too," said Parton.
Several residents and loved ones held their hands up to the Plexiglas to make some level of physical contact. Staff cleaned the surface between each visit.
Parton's mother remarked, "I can almost touch you."
"Almost. Maybe it won't be too long," said Parton to her mother.