SODALIS SENIOR LIVING – VISITATION POLICY

Purpose:

• Provide policy and procedure related to Resident visitation.

Scope:

• Provide infection control and education policies for visitors during normal visitation times and in the event of an infectious outbreak.

Policy:

• In-person Visitation Guidelines.

Visitors:

• PLEASE NOTE THAT VISITATION HOURS ARE If the

doors are locked, please ring the doorbell and staff will assist you. Doors may be secured at various hours but are typically open between the hours of 8am and 8pm. There’s no length of visitation time however, overnight stays are not typically permitted unless resident is end of life. Visitors are required to sign in at the front desk upon entry into the community and sign out upon exit.

Visitors include:

• Family members and loved ones of residents at the end‐of‐life;
• Designated Visitors by the Resident or POA;
• Essential Caregivers;
• Friend;
• Guardian;
• Other Individuals;

Regulatory Requirement/References:

We adhere to the Florida Statute 408.823 – “No Patient Left Alone Act”

• 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
• The resident, client, or patient is making one or more major medical
• 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
• A resident, client, or patient who used to talk and interact with others is seldom speaking.
• Rules 7 and 8 don’t apply to our setting, they apply to infants and

 

Please reference the posted “No Patient Left Alone Act” in each community for further details.

 

INFECTION CONTROL:

 

POLICY:

Infection control guidelines will be followed by all Community staff. The HWD will

be responsible for monitoring compliance with infection control procedures.  All

training provided to staff related to infection control will be done in accordance

with company and CDC guidelines.

 

Visitors During Outbreaks:

• The community must allow all residents to have personal visits during times of outbreak based on the facility’s structure and resident’s needs per company Infection Control Guidelines based off the CDC recommendations.
• Inside visits must occur where adequate space is available as necessary to ensure physical distancing between other residents and visitors when necessary, such as resident’s room, communal space with visitation times allotting for the number of visitors per day the community can handle with allotted disinfection periods.
• Outside visits must ensure a comfortable and safe outdoor visitation area, considering the outside air temperature. This should be an that promotes ventilation due to increased space and ventilation.
• A sign in/out log may be placed at the front desk or entry area attesting to being non-symptomatic of an infectious disease if required by State or local mandate at that time.
• Visitors will be asked to adhere to all infection prevention measures during visit the with resident, educational material will be posted when needed.
• Visitors will be asked to clean hands to adhere to basic infection control procedures, with either soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer of a minimum of 60% alcohol or per CDC recommendations. Increased infection control procedures and PPE may be required depending on infectious disease.

 

 

 

 

 

INFECTION CONTROL BEST PRACTICES:

• To reduce the risk for infectious disease transmission, follow these best practices:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, if not available use hand sanitizer that contains at the minimum of 60% alcohol.
  • Frequently clean high touch surfaces in the community, increase the cleaning schedule of these areas during times of outbreak.
  • Clean surfaces with approved EPA disinfectant to eliminate any potential infectious disease per direction of the disinfectant.
  • Use cough/sneezing etiquette to help reduce possible spread by sneezing or coughing into your elbow.
  • Practice social distancing which is defined as maintaining an area of at least 6 feet between people for either inside or outside visits to help reduce exposure.
  • Use of a mask may be encouraged or required depending on the type of outbreak and state/local requirements.
  • When masks are in use, they must cover the face and nose, the community will supply masks if requested, proper masks must be used when in effect.
  • Masks and other PPE may be required per infection control requirements per the Health Services Manual.

 

Salon Services Visitors:

An ALF can allow a barber, beautician, or cosmetologist providing hair care or personal grooming services to a resident to enter the facility to provide hair care or personal grooming services to residents.

Vaccination or Immunization Status:

The community will not require or ask visitors to submit proof of vaccinations or immunizations unless required by specific state/local mandates. The ALF will not require any residents or staff to have immunizations or vaccines unless required by specific state/local mandates, TB screenings maybe required by certain states for residents and staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff:

Staff must always wear proper PPE according to infection control policies.

 

To encourage staff who are ill to stay home due to COVID-19 or other potential pandemics our company has a sick leave policy that does not penalize them with loss of status, wages, or benefits per company policy.

Note: If a staff member was diagnosed with an illness (e.g.,

influenza) their return to work will be based on the criteria associated with that diagnosis, if diagnosed with COVID-19 the CDC recommendations will be followed for that particular illness.

Memory Care Units and Alzheimer’s Certified Units:

Infection prevention strategies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases are especially challenging to implement in dedicated memory care units and Alzheimer’s certified units where numerous residents with cognitive impairment reside together. These residents can have a difficult time following recommended infection prevention practices.

Changes to resident routines, disruptions in daily schedules, use of unfamiliar equipment, or working with unfamiliar caregivers can lead to fear and anxiety, resulting in increased depression and behavioral changes such as agitation, aggression, or wandering.

We follow recommended guidance from the CDC for considerations regarding residents with dementia, in memory care or Alzheimer’s certified units to reduce transmission of infectious diseases between residents.

 

 

 

 

 

Revised 6/7/2023