Individuals seeking residency to a SNF in the midst of COVID-19 are coming at a particularly uncertain and unsettling time. In order to set reasonable resident and family expectations, you will want to be transparent about the risks and realities of COVID-19.

In addition, many of the standard operating procedures outlined at admission are changing as SNFs respond to COVID-19. You are likely going to have to make decisions quickly based on constantly changing circumstances, and some rules and rights that typically apply have been waived and altered to account for changes needed to protect residents. By establishing a realistic understanding about how COVID-19 may affect your operations, services, and the risks of residing in a SNF, you may help to limit complaints that could arise.  

The sample admission notices below can be used to let incoming residents know whether your facility has experienced any positive COVID-19 test results, identify the reality of potential for COVID-19 to spread in SNFs, and explain that some of the rules and rights outlined at admission will be different during the pendency of the COVID-19 emergency. In addition, we have provided answers to some of the more commonly asked admission questions relating to COVID-19.