Visitation Policy

POLICY STATEMENT

REVISION DATE: 9/15/2022

Our facility permits residents to receive visitors subject to the resident’s wishes and the protection of the rights of other residents in the facility. Lifespace Communities, Inc. recognizes person centered care and believes visitation in part of the effort to promote psychosocial, wellbeing. The resident has all rights as with a same sex spouse or opposite sex spouse.

PROCEDURES

Resident Access to Visitors

We recognize the resident’s need to maintain contact with the community in which he or she has lived or is familiar. Therefore, the resident is permitted to always have visitors as in-person and may have consensual physical contact between a patient and a visitor unless the resident objects.

Visitation Privileges of Resident’s Immediate Family

The resident may visit with immediate family or other relatives any time subject to the protection of the rights and safety of other residents and any restrictions imposed by the resident. Visitors may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Spouses (including same-sex and transgender spouses);
  2. Domestic partners (including same-sex and transgender domestic partners);
  3. Other family members; and
  4. Friends

The community provides 24-hour access to all individuals visiting with the consent of the resident. Lifespace communities does not limit the number of visitors or length of visits and follows the state of Florida ASPEN Law and Federal regulations.

Some visitations may be subject to reasonable restrictions that protect the security of the community’s residents such as:

  1. Limiting or supervising visits from persons who are known or suspected to be abusive or exploitative to a resident.
  2. Denying access to individuals who are found to have been committing criminal acts; and
  3. Denying access to visitors who are inebriated or disruptive

During the event of specific circumstances in-person visitation will be permitted, unless the resident objects, such as:

  1. End-of life
  2. Resident is struggling with a change in environment, or
  3. The resident is making major medical decisions, or
  4. The resident is experiencing emotional distress,
  5. The resident needs cueing or encouragement to eat or drink which was previously provided by a family member or caregiver,
  6. Other specified circumstances reviewed by the family and the community

Essential Caregiver

A resident may designate a visitor as an essential caregiver and allow the essential caregivers to visit a minimum of 2 hours daily. An essential caregiver is not required to provide necessary care to a resident.

Visitation by Government Agencies

Residents are permitted to visit with representatives from federal and state survey agencies, resident advocates, the State long-term care ombudsman, protection, and advocacy agencies for individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness, clergy and/or their personal physicians at any time.

Non-Relative Visiting Hours and Restrictions

The resident may visit with non-relative visitors who are visiting with the consent of the resident at any time. Such visitors may be subject to reasonable restrictions that protect the security of the facility’s residents such as:

  1. Keeping the facility locked at
  2. Limiting or supervising visits from persons who are known or suspected to be abusive or exploitative to a resident.
  3. Denying access to individuals who are found to have been committing criminal acts; and

Right to Deny Visitation

Denying access to visitors who are inebriated or disruptive.

The resident has the right to deny visitation at any time. If a resident chooses to withdraw consent for visitation by a particular individual, the name of that person and the date of withdrawn consent shall be documented in the resident’s medical record.

Number of Visitors in Room

The community reserves the right to limit the number of visitors in the room at one time to ensure the rights of the person sharing the room are protected.

Visitation of Critically Ill Residents

A critically ill resident may have visitors of his/her choice at any time if visitation is not medically contraindicated. (Note: The resident’s care plan identifies visitor restriction information.)

Facility’s Right to Change Visiting Area

The facility reserves the right to change the location of a visit if such visit infringes upon the rights of the resident’s roommate or other residents in the facility.

Visitation During Medical Treatment/Personal Care

Unless otherwise permitted by the resident, visitors will be required to wait outside the room or in the lobby while the resident is receiving treatment, undergoing examinations, and/or receiving personal care.

Documentation of Disruptive Behavior

Incidents of any visitor’s disruptive behavior must be documented in the resident’s medical record or other facility approved form.

Infection Control

All visitors who enter the community must complete required COVID screening and temperature checks. Individuals who fail to pass the screening process requirements, will be denied entry to the community and grounds.

Visitors will be educated upon entering the community to follow respiratory hygiene, handwashing, and cough etiquette precautions. Appropriate PPE must be worn by approved visitors in common areas when visiting and the resident receiving an approved visitor will follow current and changing CDC and the state/county of Florida recommendations. Visitors who are not able to adhere to the core principles of COVID-19 at the time of their visit will be asked to leave.

  1. Residents and visitors that are up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses can have full contact visits in the resident’s room in accordance with current CDC vaccine and CMS recommendations and guidelines.
  2. Visitors with signs and symptoms of a transmissible infection must defer visitation until he or she is no longer potentially infectious.
  3. The community will actively screen and restrict visitation by following the most current approved screening criteria as set forth by the CDC.
  4. Indoor visitation (in single-person rooms; in multi-person rooms, when roommates are not present; or in designated visitation areas when others are not present): The safest practice is for residents and visitors to wear source control and physically distance, particularly if either of them is at risk for severe disease or are unvaccinated.
  5. If the resident and all their visitor(s) are up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, they can choose not to wear source control and to have physical contact while in the resident’s room.
  6. Visitors should wear source control when around other residents or HCP, regardless of vaccination status.
  7. Life space will encourage testing of visitors during times when the County community transmission rate is at a substantial or high level. The community will encourage all visitors to be tested on their own prior to coming to the facility (e.g. within 2-3 days) of their visit. However, under CMS guidance, visitors are not required to test or to show proof of having tested as a condition of visitation.
  8. Under CMS guidance the community will not ask visitors to provide proof of any vaccination or immunization status.

Visitation Areas

Space is available in the lobby/lounge for residents to receive guests in reasonable comfort and privacy.

Documentation of Withdrawal of Visitation Privileges

A resident has the right to withdraw an individual’s visiting privileges at any time. Such documentation must be recorded on the care plan and medical record to ensure that all staff is aware of such restrictions.

Inquiries

Inquiries concerning visitation and access to the facility should be referred to the Administrator or his/her designee.

The administrator/Director of Nursing and or his/her designee is responsible to enforce team member adherence to the policy.