Florida Lifting Ban On Nursing Home Visits, But There Will Still Be Restrictions

September 2, 2020

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has issued an emergency order that lifts restrictions for visitation to nursing homes, assisted living facilities (ALFs), adult family-care homes, adult group homes and other long-term care facilities.

The emergency order requires all visitors to wear PPE following to the most recent CDC guidelines, and those not making physical contact still must wear a mask. To accept general visitors the facility must meet the following:

  • No new facility-onset of resident COVID-19 cases within 14 days other than in a dedicated wing or unit that accepts COVID-19 cases from the community;
  • If a staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the facility must immediately cease all indoor and outdoor visitation in the event that staff person was in the facility in the 10 days prior to the positive test;
  • Sufficient staff to support management of visitors;
  • Adequate PPE for facility staff;
  • Adequate cleaning and disinfecting supplies; and
  • Adequate capacity at referral hospitals for the facility.

Every facility must continue to prohibit the entry of any individual to the facility except in the following circumstances:

  • Family members, friends and individuals visiting residents in end-of-life situations;
  • Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end-of-life situations;
  • Any individual or providers giving necessary health care to a resident, provided that such individuals or providers comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for PPE, are screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 prior to entry and comply with all infection control requirements of the CDC and the facility;
  • Facility staff and residents;
  • Attorneys of Record for a resident in an Adult Mental Health and Treatment Facility or forensic facility for court related matters if virtual or telephonic means are unavailable;
  • Public Guardians, Professional Guardians and their professional staff as defined in Florida Statue 744;
  • Representatives of the federal or state government seeking entry as part of their official duties;
  • Essential caregivers and compassionate care visitors; and
  • General visitors under specific criteria set forth under the Emergency Order.

The  order directs all facilities to ensure visitors are not quarantining, positive for COVID-19 or symptomatic. It also requires facilities to screen visitors, establish limits on the number of visitors allowed, schedule visitation ahead of time, clean and disinfect visiting areas between visitors and other protective measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

General visitors will need to be 18 years of age or older, wear a face mask, sign a consent form indicating they understand the facility’s visitation policies, comply with facility-provided COVID-19 testing if offered and maintain social distance of at least six feet with staff and residents.

This order will be implemented in the upcoming days as long-term care facilities begin to put new procedures in place to comply with the Emergency Order.

Comments

7 Responses to “Florida Lifting Ban On Nursing Home Visits, But There Will Still Be Restrictions”

  1. Susan Repart on October 26th, 2020 4:49 pm

    @Robert I’d rather that grandma and grandpa die of cover than of isolation and neglect. The place my brother is in still isn’t letting anyone in. I was there before this all started and I trust the staff in this particular place as far as I can throw my car down the block. It’s frightening when you see your family member continue to decline and give up hope!!!!! I’m going to be checking into why they don’t want anyone to come in when the governor has lifted the restriction. Visitations with cautious implementation are absolutely necessary.

  2. jen on September 4th, 2020 10:20 pm

    We are seeing a steady decline in COVID-19 cases…i think this is wonderful for those that have not seen or loved on their loved ones in months.

  3. Rational on September 2nd, 2020 1:36 pm

    Stand by funeral homes and cemeteries! In-coming! The idiot juice must be flowing freely to all FL government offices.

  4. Judie Holt on September 2nd, 2020 10:18 am

    Finally, Looking forward to seeing my mentally slow brother. He s not understood what’s been going on. All he asks each time is why can t I come in and visit with him? He doesn’t t hear well , so even visiting him outside window or him inside cubicle it hasn t really worked for us. I m sure there’s other patients also that feels as though they ve been abandoned..

  5. Good grief on September 2nd, 2020 9:24 am

    aren’t we in the the “second wave”?

  6. Bewildered on September 2nd, 2020 7:57 am

    While I agree that protecting the lives of nursing homes patients is and was never on top of the list and definitely not the reason to shut any country down, the new policy simply adheres to the demands of said family members. Nursing homes are damned if they do and damned if they don’t!

  7. Robert on September 2nd, 2020 3:21 am

    Re-opening went so well last time this should go very smoothly. Operation Killing Grandma and Grandpa is in effect.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News