Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes (TSVH) has announced a revised preparedness plan after President Trump declared a National Emergency and Federal health officials mandated all nursing facilities suspend visitation to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 to susceptible patient populations. TSVH facilities in Murfreesboro, Knoxville, Clarksville, and Humboldt will restrict access to all visitors, vendors, and volunteers until further notice. These precautionary measures aim to minimize the risk of exposure to residents, families, and staff. At this time there are no cases of COVID-19 at any State Veterans’ Homes or offices.
Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes are long-term care and skilled nursing facilities that serve veterans and their families. TSVH residents are predominantly older, and many have multiple complex health conditions, making them particularly vulnerable to infection.
“In accordance with the directive from the President, Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes will restrict visitation at all facilities to ensure the safety of our residents,” said TSVH Executive Director Ed Harries. “We remain committed to our proactive approach and will do everything in our power to prevent the virus from entering our facilities.”
“The Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes leadership is continuously monitoring the situation to ensure swift response to a rapidly changing situation in order to protect our veterans,” said Commissioner Courtney Rogers of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services.
Effective immediately, Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes have put the following precautionary measures in place at all four State Veterans’ Homes:
- Visitation is suspended until further notice. An exception may be made for end of life situations.
- Facility access is restricted to all volunteers and non-essential vendors
- Staff travel between facilities is frozen for all non-essential travel
- Outside facility trips are cancelled until further notice
- Access to the facilities will be denied to any individuals who screen positively for symptoms
- TSVH will not admit any resident with known exposure to the COVID-19 virus for at least 14 days post-exposure
Members of the TSVH leadership and clinical teams are meeting daily to monitor the situation and any changes will be communicated promptly. TSVH is following their internal response plan, guidance from the Tennessee Department of Health, the CDC, CMS, and the VA in order to stay consistent with partner agencies.
Family and friends are encouraged to communicate with residents via telephone, email, text, video chat or social media. Staff member assistance will be provided when needed.
Questions and concerns should be directed to the Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes Executive Office at 615-225-1816.
For the most current information about coronavirus or COVID-19, please refer to cdc.gov or tn.gov/health.