COVID-19 Information

Protecting the health and safety of the residents who call our facilities home, as well as the teammates who serve them, is NDVA's top priority. Our COVID-19 Task Force is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation, following state and federal guidelines for infection control, and meeting regularly to discuss and share current safety protocols. As this is a rapidly changing situation, we are continuing to evaluate the safeguards we have in place at the four state veterans' homes and will modify them as needed.

Please note, each facility sends a weekly update letter with the most up-to-date information on the facility’s current status and policies to each members’ family point of contact.

Steps We're Taking to Protect Our Members

Our veterans’ homes follow guidance from DHHS based on the latest guidance and recommendations they have received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Infection Control and Assessment Promotion Program (ICAP). Some of the precautions in place at the facilities include:

• Screening of all teammates and visitors upon entry, including temperature reading.
• Testing of vaccinated teammates once per week and of unvaccinated teammates every 48 hours.
• Masking when in member areas or around visitors or other teammates and additional PPE requirements such as use of face shields or eye protection if county transmission rates are high.
• Quarantining procedures for unvaccinated teammates who have an exposure to COVID-19 and for vaccinated teammates who have a high-risk exposure to COVID-19.

We encourage all teammates to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccination clinics have taken place at all four homes to provide members and teammates the opportunity to be vaccinated. We are proud to have a system-wide vaccination rate above the national average for long-term care facilities!

​Visitation

We can now offer both outdoor and indoor, in-person visitation at all four facilities within certain parameters, as well as compassionate care (e.g. end of life) visits. Visitors must schedule appointments ahead of time. Upon arrival, visitors will be screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Hand hygiene, face coverings, and social distancing will still be required. Cleaning and disinfecting will take place by veterans’ home teammates after all visits.

In-person visitation is not allowed in any of the following situations unless it is a compassionate care situation:

• The member being visited is unvaccinated, county positivity rate is above 10%, and less than 70% of members are fully vaccinated
• The member has a confirmed COVID-19 infection or is in quarantine (regardless of vaccination status)

If you have any questions about visitation guidelines, current county positivity rates, scheduling a visit, or anything else, please contact the facility.

We have put together some information on visitation guidelines and risks. Click here to view.

Schedule an in-person or window visit today:

• Central Nebraska Veterans' Home
• Eastern Nebraska Veterans' Home
• Norfolk Veterans' Home
• Western Nebraska Veterans' Home

Virtual visits are still available for those who cannot come to the facility in person. To set up a virtual visit, please contact the Virtual Visitor liaison at the facility where your loved one lives. They can schedule an appointment and help you set up Skype on your computer, tablet, or phone. We also have this How to Use Skype Guide available.​

Volunteer Opportunities

Throughout the pandemic, entry to the facilities has been limited, including to volunteers. We have heard from countless volunteers who want to come back in and serve our veterans and have heard from members who miss having those volunteers in the homes. We are extremely excited to currently be able to offer volunteer opportunities at all four veterans homes, provided volunteers have completed our current volunter training program. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the home directly to see what opportunities are available.

In addition, veterans service organizations have reached out to see what they can do to help our teammates who have been battling COVID-19 throughout the course of the pandemic. We've developed a Vets Helping Vets program to offer opportunities to those who want to help serve in our homes in additional volunteer capacities and appreciate the comradery of our fellow Nebraskans. Volunteer information flyers for each home are available below. 

• Central Nebraska Veterans' Home
• Eastern Nebraska Veterans' Home
• Norfolk Veterans' Home
• Western Nebraska Veterans' Home

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Coping with Stress During COVID-19

In addition to the infection control precautions we're taking at our facilities, we're working to reduce anxiety among our residents. To that end, we have put together member education on Coping with Stress During COVID-19.