Nova Scotia easing restrictions to allow designated caregivers to help long-term care residents

Nova Scotia announced Tuesday that with new cases of COVID-19 remaining low in the province, it will further ease restrictions in long-term care homes and allow designated caregivers to help care for and support residents.

According to the province, designated caregivers can be family members, spouses, friends or other support people.

“They must be associated with specific caregiving tasks like personal care support, mobility or help with eating, and have an established caregiving relationship with the resident prior to COVID-19,” the government said in a press release.

The province implemented the following changes to be enforced by long-term care facilities:

• Work with residents and families to identify up to two designated caregivers per resident; only one designated caregiver may visit at a time.
• Train caregivers on public health requirements, including masking, good hand and respiratory hygiene, and facility procedures.
• Provide medical masks for caregivers to wear while with residents.
• Establish processes to screen caregivers upon entry and to easily identify caregivers onsite.

These changes are set to be implemented by individual long-term care homes as early as Sept. 11, the province said.

“Potential caregivers will make arrangements with individual facilities for training and visitation.”

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More to come.