Nursing home guidelines loosen under newly released guidelines Nursing home guidelines loosen under newly released guidelines By Rania Kaur | March 15, 2021 at 10:19 PM CDT - Updated March 15 at 10:19 PM LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - For families with loved ones in nursing homes, COVID restrictions have kept them apart this last year. Under new guidelines, residents can even hug their loved ones if they and the facility meet specific requirements. Outdoor visits are still the preferred method of contact under the newest Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidelines, but as of Friday, they are allowing residents to meet with their loved ones indoors if they meet certain criteria and if there isn’t a single COVID case at the facility.