Coming Spring 2022

Policy: 

THE CONNIE HOUSE ALF supports in-person visitation for all residents and seeks to comply with the requirements of s. 408.823, F.S. in addition to the requirements for visitation in 429. 28 (1) (d), F.S.

Visitation Policy

· Visitors are welcome at THE CONNIE HOUSE ALF. Guests and visitors are requested to sign the Guest Log upon their arrival and sign out when leaving the community. This log helps ensure the safety of our residents. 

Visitors are welcome to visit between the hours of 9:00am and 9:00pm. Visitation outside of these hours may be accommodated with the prior permission of the administrator. In the event of an infectious outbreak within the home, the number of persons visiting at one time may be limited. Residents and their guests should be cognizant of other residents and noise levels shall be kept to a minimum during hours when residents are typically sleeping. When residents share a room, visitors are expected to show courtesy toward the roommate and may be asked to visit in another area of the community to accommodate the needs of both residents. 

· Consensual physical contact is allowed during visitation unless the resident objects. 

· Visitors are required to follow the community’s House Rules, visitation policies and procedures and infection control policies and procedures as well as any screening protocols which may be in place. Visitors will not be asked for proof of vaccination status, nor be required to provide proof of any vaccination or immunization.

· Visitors are discouraged from visiting the community when sick or when running a fever to support the health and well-being of all residents, staff members and visitors. 

· Visitors include third party providers who must also comply with the community’s visitation policies and procedures in addition to the community’s third party provider policies and procedures. 

· The administrator may require a visitor to agree in writing to follow the community’s policies and procedures. The administrator may suspend in person visitation for a specific visitor who violates the community’s policies and procedures. 

· THE CONNIE HOUSE ALF does not limit visitation to the following circumstances and supports residents’ right to visit with any persons of a resident’s choice during normal visitation hours from 9am until 9pm. Visitation is allowed in the resident’s room and throughout the community. Unless a resident objects, visitation is supported in all of the following situations but is not limited to these situations:

o End of life

o Adjusting to the community/change of environment

o The resident is making major medical decisions

o The resident is grieving or experiencing emotional distress

o The resident requires cueing or encouragement to eat or drink

o The resident is becoming less verbal

Essential Caregiver

Residents may designate a visitor who is a family member, friend, guardian or other individual as an essential caregiver. Essential caregivers are not required to provide necessary care. Residents who wish to designate an essential caregiver should do so in writing and provide this information to the administrator. Essential caregivers shall be allowed two additional hours of visitation beyond the normal hours of visitation. 

Infection Control 

Visitors are expected to follow the community’s infection control procedures and to follow enhanced infection control procedures when necessary. (See documents Infection Control Information for Visitors; Enhanced Infection Control Procedures.)

Procedures:

The community maintains a link from the homepage of the website to visitation and infection control policies and procedures. 

The community will submit its visitation policies and procedures to the Agency for Health Care Administration with license applications and make such policies and procedures available to representatives of the agency at any time upon request. 

The administrator is responsible for ensuring all staff comply with the community’s visitation policies and procedures. Residents and visitors should direct any questions regarding these policies and procedures to the administrator. 

Visitors are required to check in upon entrance to the home. Upon arrival visitors will be advised if there are any screening protocols that must be completed due to the presence of an infectious outbreak in the community. 

In the case of an infectious outbreak, visitation of ill persons is discouraged. 

The administrator may require a visitor to agree in writing to follow the community’s policies and procedures by having the visitor sign an acknowledgement that they have received information on the community’s visitation policies.

The administrator may suspend in person visitation for a specific visitor who violates the community’s policies and procedures. 

Visitors will be assisted to take standard or transmission-based precautions as warranted by individual situations. Visitors may be required to wear PPE while in the community except when visiting a resident in her/his apartment and no other resident is present. Visitors should seek any needed assistance from staff while visiting. 

Isolation precautions will be discussed with the resident and family before precautions are initiated. Visitors will be instructed on the necessity of maintaining precautions before entering the resident’s room. 

Hand hygiene supplies are available throughout the community.

The person responsible for overseeing the visitation policy is the administrator.