Older people are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 according to the Center for Disease Control, which is why nursing homes are taking extra steps to protect residents.
Cross Timbers Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Flower Mound has notices on its front door telling visitors not to enter if they're feeling ill.
They've restricted visiting hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week and requiring people to fill out questionnaires.
“I feel confident that we’re taking the correct precautions; we have the mentality of better safe than sorry," said Drew Parham, an administrator at Cross Timbers Rehab & Health Care.
“When you come into the lobby you’ll be greeted by one of our employees. We’ll have you fill out a questionnaire and depending on the questionnaire, that will gain you access unto our facility.”
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The questions ask if someone has traveled internationally, or if they've been in contact with someone who has.
"At first I thought, 'hmm' but it makes sense they have a population to protect and they can't just have anybody wandering in if they're sick they don't want them in there," said Donna Ruward about the precautions.
Her husband of nearly 50 years lives at the facility. She said he had a stroke 11 years ago and requires care.
Ruward said most days of the week she's at the nursing home visiting her husband. Ruward said she's not too worried about the coronavirus.
"They’re on top of it inside, so they’re taking precautions which is important," said Ruward about the facility.
Cross Timbers sister facility, Nexion, put together a video for its residents, visitors and staff which reminds them of the basics: washing hands to the melody of the children's song, 'If You're Happy and You Know It."
"We really want to keep things fun for our residents family members and we also thought this would be such a wonderful and informative way to let our visitors and everybody outside of the nursing home know what precautions that we would like for everyone to take to help keep our residents safe," said Parham.
