WATERTOWN, S.D. (KWAT) — The past six months have been a stressful time for South Dakota’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities as they try to protect their residents from the COVID-19 virus.

Loren Diekman (deek-man) is the president and CEO of Jenkins Living Center in Watertown. He says their visitor restrictions remain in place.

Changes at Jenkins continue to be made.

Diekman says this has been a learning experience for everyone in health care.

Visitation with residents will continue…but from a distance for now.

At last count, South Dakota’s death toll from COVID-19 was at 173. The elderly population has been hardest hit.