Westminster Communities of Florida warmly welcomes visitors to our communities to engage with our residents. Our communities encourage visits at all times. We do not limit the number of visitors nor are visitors subject to visiting hour limitations or other restrictions not imposed by the resident. End-of-Life visits are encouraged and supported.
Consensual physical contact between a resident and visitor is allowed.
Visits may occur in outdoor areas, indoor resident living areas or designated visiting spaces. Regardless of where visits are conducted, we adhere to core principles of Infection Prevention.
If you feel ill, consider rescheduling your visit to protect residents and yourself.
All Visitors and Caregivers must:
- Sign-in upon entering the community and before interacting with any staff, resident, family members or friends. By signing in, the visitor agrees to follow the rules for visitors or caregivers.
- Visitors are NOT required to submit proof of vaccination or immunization.
- Visitors and caregivers may be asked to submit to a screening which may include temperature check and/or a questionnaire about health status.
INFECTION CONTROL AND EDUCATION FOR VISITORS: All visitors are expected to comply with the applicable infection control and educational policies.
- We encourage the practices of good hand hygiene, and using an alcohol-based hand rub is preferred.
- We encourage visitors and residents to practice the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for infection prevention.
- Infection control policies may require a visitor or caregiver to wear Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). This may include properly wearing a face mask and/or other necessary PPE. Staff will provide education on infection control, including hand hygiene and directions on the proper use of PPE.
- We post instructional signage throughout the community and provide visitor education on COVID-19 signs and symptoms, infection control precautions and other applicable community practices (e.g., use of face covering or mask, specified entries, exits and routes to designated areas, hand hygiene).
- We frequently clean and sanitize often touched surfaces in the community.
- Our team members follow the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
If you have any question regarding these policies or how the staff have supported your visit, contact the Administrator.
Visitation privileges of a specific visitor may be suspended if the visitor violates the rules for visits, the resident requests the person not visit, or has behaviors disruptive to other residents, visitors or staff.
We remain committed to the wellbeing of our Residents, and this includes a resident’s right to visitation with their family. If you or a loved one have been met with resistance from a hospital, hospice, or long-term care community, when attempting to visit with loved ones, you may file a complaint with the Agency for Healthcare Administration for further review and action. Submitting this complaint online may assist the Agency in expediting your review.
SB 988 states that all hospitals, hospices, and long-term care facilities visitation policies and procedures must allow for in-person visitation in all the following circumstances, unless the resident, client, or patient objects:
- End-of-life situations
- A resident, client, or patient 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.
- The resident, client, or patient is making one or more major medical decisions.
- A resident, client, or patient is experiencing emotional distress or grieving the loss of a friend or family member who recently died.
- A resident, client, or patient needs cueing or encouragement to eat or drink which was previously provided by a family member or caregiver.
- A resident, client, or patient who used to talk and interact with others is seldom speaking.
- For hospitals, childbirth, including labor and delivery.
- Pediatric patients.
Additionally, the bill allows a resident, client, or patient the option to designate a visitor who is a family member, friend, guardian, or other individual as an essential caregiver. The provider must allow in-person visitation by the essential caregiver for at least 2 hours daily in addition to any other visitation authorized by the provider.
If you prefer to make this complaint via phone, the dedicated phone line for visitation related complaints is 1-888-775-6005; the link to the complaint portal is: https://apps.ahca.myflorida.com/hcfc
Date: May 18, 2023
Resources:
“No Patient Left Alone Act”: https://ahca.myflorida.com/visitation
