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Elliott Tanack, right, a resident of the Jewish Association on Aging's Charles Morris Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Squirrel Hill, removes his glasses to get a better look at his daughter Ellen Jones, of McCandless, as they speak through a plexiglass barrier during a visit at the facility in June.
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Washington County personal care home says it's ready to accept visitors

Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette

Washington County personal care home says it's ready to accept visitors

A Washington County personal care community will be accepting visitors and allow personal contact, more than a year after COVID-19 forced its residents to be physically isolated from friends and family members.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the Residence at Hilltop in Carroll said, beginning Thursday, “residents ... will be able to reach out and touch their loved ones in person once again.”

According to a release, the facility will schedule visitations from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A scheduled visit will last one hour and can include two family members. 

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The home has not allowed contact between visitors and residents since March 13, 2020, said Corinne Laboon, spokeswoman for the Residence. Exceptions were made for compassionate care and end-of-life visits, she said.

“The decision to permit visitors has been met by tears of joy,” Ms. Laboon said. “Everyone is very thankful and looking forward to hugs from loves ones that they have missed for a year.”

The decision was made the week of March 15 “after careful consideration,” Ms. Laboon said, adding that the home is following the recommendations for indoor visitation outlined by the Department of Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Since the visitation ban, visits were conducted on FaceTime, Zoom and from windows. The home also had outdoor porch visits and other encounters behind Plexiglas.

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The Residence is home to 60 residents and 50 full- and part-time employees. Ms. Laboon said 99% of the residents and 85% of the staff are vaccinated.

The following procedures will be followed during all visits:

• All visitors must pass a general health screening before entering the Residence.

• Masks are required to be worn at all times — even among people who have been vaccinated.

• Residents and their loved ones must remain in the resident’s room. A separate area may be designated by the Residence at Hilltop staff for people in semi-private rooms. If weather permits, visits may take place outdoors.

• Residents and their visitor(s) cannot congregate in common areas.

First Published: March 24, 2021, 4:34 p.m.

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Elliott Tanack, right, a resident of the Jewish Association on Aging's Charles Morris Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Squirrel Hill, removes his glasses to get a better look at his daughter Ellen Jones, of McCandless, as they speak through a plexiglass barrier during a visit at the facility in June.  (Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette)
Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette
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