(revised January 2024)

I. Purpose

These Visitation Policies and Procedures are adopted to ensure compliance with Colliers Assisted Living (the “community”) obligations under section 408.823 of Florida Statutes.

II. In-Person Visitation Policies

a) Visiting Hours. The community will allow each resident to visit in-person with any person of his or her choice, at any time between the hours of 9:00am – 9:00pm at a minimum. Upon request, the community shall make provisions to extend visiting hours for caregivers and out-of-town guests, and in other similar situations.

b) Length of Visits and Number of Visitors. There is no restriction on the permissible length of visits or number of visitors, except that the community will not allow the legally prescribed maximum building occupancy load to be exceeded.

c) Essential Caregivers. A resident may designate a visitor who is a family member, friend, guardian, or other individual as an essential caregiver. The community shall allow in-person visitation by a resident’s essential caregiver for at least 2 hours daily in addition to any other visitation authorized by the community. The community may not require an essential caregiver to provide necessary care to a resident.

d) Consensual Physical Contact. Consensual physical contact between a resident and his or her visitor is allowed.

e) Special Circumstances. In addition to any other visitation authorized by the community, residents are allowed in-person visitation in all the following circumstances, unless the resident objects:

 i. End-of-life situations.

 ii. A resident 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.

iii. The resident is making one or more major medical decisions.

iv. A resident is experiencing emotional distress or grieving the loss of a friend or family member who recently died.

v. A resident needs cueing or encouragement to eat or drink which was previously provided by a family member or caregiver.

vi. A resident who used to talk and interact with others is seldom speaking.

III. Screening, Personal Protective Equipment, and other Infection Control Protocols for Visitors

The community will adhere to any applicable laws or orders issued by local, state, or federal authorities regarding screening, personal protective equipment (“PPE”), and other infection control protocols for visitors; provided, however, that:

a) Any safety-related requirements will be no more stringent than those established for the community’s staff.

b) Visitors will not be required to submit proof of any vaccination or immunization.

c) The community will NOT prohibit visitation if the specific resident to be visited is quarantined, tested positive, or showing symptoms of a communicable disease. Visitors in these circumstances may be required to wear the same PPE that staff wear to provide care or services to the resident.

The community will provide ongoing infection control education for visitors as needed.

IV – In-Person Visitation Procedures

a) Responsible Staff Member. The Administrator or designee is responsible for ensuring that staff adhere to this Visitation Policy and Procedures.

b) Resident Signature. The resident (or their representative) will read and sign this policy to acknowledge that the resident represents that all his or her visitors will abide by this policy or be subject to suspension from the community.

c) Visitor Compliance. The community will monitor the visitor’s adherence to the Visitation Policies and Procedures.

If a visitor fails to follow the community’s infection prevention and control requirements, after attempting to mitigate concerns, the community shall restrict or revoke visitation.

If a visitor is combative, violent, threatening, or otherwise deemed to be engaging in dangerous or criminal activity in the reasonable judgment of the community, then after attempting to mitigate concerns, the community shall restrict or revoke visitation.

V. Availability of the Visitation Policies and Procedures

The community will provide the Agency for Health Care Administration (“AHCA”) with a copy of its Visitation Policies and Procedures when applying for initial licensure, licensure renewal, or change of ownership, as applicable.

The community will also make the Visitation Policies and Procedures available to AHCA for review at any time, upon request.

The community will make these Visitation Policies and Procedures easily accessible from the homepage of its website.