A local Assisted Living Center's residents are not happy about Tennessee's visitation guidel

At the Cades Center, only employees are allowed to enter the building, and today I spoke with the Active Administrator, over the phone and we discussed how residents are responding to these visitation guidelines.

“We’ve had lots of changes, no one coming in, and no one going out,” says Jenny Diffie who is the administrator at the Cades Center.

Visitors prohibited from going in out of nursing homes or assisted care facilities are described as a regrettable but necessary hardship by governor lee.

The cades center is an assisted living home. according to administrator Jenny Diffie, some residents understand the importance of social distancing but others are still having a hard time with the adjustments.

“We have some that go into a panic, and think that if they don’t get to see their family member that day, they’ll just get into an anxiety attack almost,” says Diffee.

Diffee also says that some residents forget the same rules apply inside hospitals and request to go to the emergency room.

Nursing homes and assisted living residents are considered to be the most vulnerable because of their age. even though visitors are not allowed in the building, the staff members at the cades center do their best to keep residents connected to their families.

“We do video chats, we do zoom. We have glass doors, they’ll come up the door, and we’ll call and they can talk on the phone and see each other and wave,” says Diffee.

The cades center along with other senior care facilities wanted to allow visitation on July 1. but, as numbers continue to rise, visitation at most care centers in Tennessee is strictly forbidden.

We’ve got some families that are upset and, we’ve got some who are overly appreciative that we are doing everything we need to do,” says Diffie.

Today in Tennessee, senior care facilities are linked to nearly 3,000 coronavirus cases and nearly 300 deaths.