Essential Family Caregivers in Long-Term Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Four decades ago, my parents were not permitted to hold their dying infant because they were “visitors” to the intensive care unit. I learned from them that our health care policies sometimes carry huge human costs. As a geriatrician and medical director of a long-term care (LTC) facility, I have learned that family members are not merely visitors; family members are critical partners in our care. The practice of social distancing and physical separation is important to keep our residents in LTC facilities safe in the COVID-19 pandemic, but the time has come to revise our policies allowing family presence at the bedside of loved ones.