Communion Fast In Nursing Homes?

[ChristinaTherese]

I go with the Legion of Mary to a retirement/nursing/I'm-not-sure-quite-what home most Sundays to distribute Communion. (I'm not an EM, but I go and probably do something helpful.) Today, one woman was eating on her way down. She was then given the Eucharist. (She was there for something far closer to five minutes than one hour.) The EM says that she thinks the fast is not required for those in that sort of home, but I was wondering just exactly what the requirement is. Under what conditions are people exempt?

[cappie]

Can. 919 says:

    “One who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain from any food or drink, with the exception of water and medicine, for at least the period of one hour before Holy Communion.”

 

An exception to the rule would be if an elderly or sick person in a hospital or nursing home even at home is not in control of when meals can be taken.  In that case, if the priest or other minister comes with Holy Communion even within the hour after eating, it is okay to receive.

 

Without knowing the situation or competence of the person concerned I would refrain from making a judgement when giving out Holy Communion to elderly people in aged care facilities in particular, but it would also apply to sick persons at home