Care Center in Grand Marais to allow outdoor visitations starting this week

Outdoor visitation will be allowed among residents of the North Shore Health Care Center and their families and friends starting this week. This follows an update from the Minnesota Department of Health and new guidelines allowing outdoor visits at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities statewide under a strict set of new policies.

In a statement sent to WTIP June 22, North Shore Health Hospital Administrator Kimber Wraalstad said “we will be offering scheduled outdoor visits beginning on Thursday (June 25) at 10 a.m. Visitors must call and make an appointment for the visits. The visits will be for 45 minutes on the patio between the 100 and 200 hallways. We are creating a walkway for family members to access the patio.”

Due to the Minnesota Department of Health guidance, Wraalstad said it is necessary “visitors be screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Visitors will need to come to the front door to be screened receive their ‘pass’ and then go from outside the building to the patio area. We have to have staff present to maintain visual observation during the visit so we are working on those details as well.”

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Wraalstad about the updated visitation policy at the Care Center in Grand Marais, as well as other news and information related to COVID-19 in Cook County and other local healthcare news. The audio to their conversation is shared below.

WTIP Staff June 23, 2020