Visitation Policy
PURPOSE: This document is to provide the Community, Residents, and Staff in Florida guidance for in-person visitation under Section 408.823; also known as the “No Patient Left Alone Act.”
PROCEDURES:
1. Community’s Visitation Policy and Procedure is available on the Community website at: https://arlingtonnaples.org/
2. Community will designate the Executive Director as the person responsible for ensuring staff adhere to the Policies and Procedures.
3. Safety related policies and procedures are not more stringent than those established for staff of Community. Visitors are not required to provide proof of any vaccination or immunization. This policy allows consensual physical contact between a Resident and Visitor.
4. Community recognizes Resident may designate a Visitor who is a family member, friend, guardian, or other individual as an essential caregiver. Community will allow in-person visitation by the essential caregiver for at least 2 hours daily in addition to any other authorized visitation.
5. Community does not require caregiver to provide necessary care to a Resident. The designated essential caregiver will be documented in Resident’s electronic medical record and updated upon the Resident’s request.
6. Residents are allowed in-person visitation in all the following circumstances, unless the
Resident objects:
a. End-of-life situations;
b. Resident who was living with family before being admitted to the provider’s care is struggling with the change in environment and lack of in-person family support;
c. Resident is making one or more major medical decisions;
d. Resident is experiencing emotional distress or grieving the loss of a friend or family member who recently died;
e. Resident needs cueing or encouragement to eat or drink which was previously provided by a family member or caregiver; and/or
f. Resident who used to talk and interact with others is seldom speaking.
7. Community has no limit on the number of Visitors per Resident. Community may limit the total number of Visitors allowed in the facility at any given time based on the ability of staff to safely screen and monitor the space used to accommodate the Visitors, and based on adherence to the infection control protocols of physical distancing.
8. Visitors are welcome to visit at any time. General visiting hours are from 8:00am – 9:00pm. After 9:00pm, Visitors must coordinate with security staff for access. There is no limitation on the visitation length.
9. Community will screen the Visitor per Community’s infection control policy and procedure. Community will document the name of the individual, the date, and time of entry. Visitors who have a positive viral test for a communicable disease, symptoms of a communicable disease or currently meet the criteria for quarantine should not enter Community.
10. Visitors will be provided education on communicable disease signs and symptoms and Community’s infection control precautions.
11. This policy does not prohibit visits if the Resident to be visited is quarantined, tested positive, or showing symptoms of a communicable disease. Visits in these circumstances will require a higher level of Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) than standard masks. PPE will be provided to the Visitor and will be in accordance with the most recent CDC guidance for healthcare workers.
12. Community does not require Visitors to agree in writing to follow the visitation policies and procedures. However, if the Visitor has violated the policies and procedures, Community may suspend in-person visitation for the specific individual.
06-17-2024
DISCLAIMER FOR DOCUMENTS
The attached document and related directions have been prepared by Life Care Services LLC (“Life Care Services”) as a service to its clients. Because laws vary from state to state and because the document may be used in a variety of circumstances, the document and related directions are to be used by clients of Life Care Services only after such document has been reviewed and approved by client’s legal counsel.
The documents are protected by intellectual property law, including copyrights, trade secrets and other applicable state and federal laws and regulations. All rights in the documents are reserved by Life Care Services. Clients may use these documents solely for and within their communities. Clients are strictly prohibited from distributing or transmitting the documents outside of their communities.
It is recommended that clients regularly contact their Compliance team member for the most recent version of the attached document and/or related directions.