The No Patient Left Alone Act

To guarantee Florida families the fundamental right to visit their loved ones who are receiving care in an Intermediate Care Facilities for the developmentally disabled (long-term care facilities). and every health care facility must allow their residents and patients to be hugged by their loved ones.  Consumers will be permitted visitors for any of the following reasons:

• 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.
• A 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.
• No health care facility in Florida may require a vaccine as a condition of visitation.

Woodhouse Visitation Policy

All Woodhouse, Inc. consumers have the right to private, unsupervised visits from anyone they choose. Visitors are welcome to visit their loved ones during appropriate business hours, generally from 10 am to 7:00 pm on the weekend and holidays. Due to the dangers of distraction, visiting during mealtimes is discouraged, unless it is a meal planned for visitors. Monday – Friday families are encouraged to visit after 4:30 pm and leave by 7pm.  Former employees of Woodhouse, Inc. may be banned from the property, or from having contact with its consumers or employees.  In order to maintain the privacy, dignity, and safety of the consumers, the following guidelines have been established by the Resident Government for all visitors:

• The consumer, or their Guardian, may prohibit certain individuals from having access to the consumer.  They may also choose to limit access to public or supervised visits.  Certain former employees of Woodhouse, Inc. may be banned from the property, or from having contact with its consumers or employees.
• In order to maintain the privacy, dignity, and safety of the consumers, the following guidelines have been established by the Resident Government for all visitors:
• To ensure that the consumer is available and wants to see the visitor, all visitors are to call the facility to make facility aware of visit.
• Upon arrival to the facility, visitors will announce themselves to the direct care staff and sign the visitors log located at the entrance of the facility.
• Visitors should dress accordingly to the activities of the day.  For safety reasons, enclosed shoes are encouraged.  Dangling jewelry is discouraged.
• No visitors may participate in the consumers’ self-care tasks.  These duties will be performed by the direct care staff.
• The use or possession of drugs or alcohol at the facility is prohibited.  Arriving on the property while under the influence of drugs or alcohol will result in being asked to leave the property immediately.
• No smoking is permitted at the facility or on the grounds, including inside cars that are parked in the facility’s parking lot.
• The possession of any weapon, including pocketknives or pepper spray is prohibited.
• Visitors can be asked to leave anytime if they are causing a disturbance violating the Rights of All Persons with Developmental Disabilities.
• Visitors are also encouraged to visit the non-common areas which include patio, memorial garden or in consumer’s room.
• Visitors are not required to wear a mask but may be ask to if symptoms are present.
• The facility will maintain a visitor log for signing in and out.  Upon entering the facility visitors will be required to disinfect their hands. The facility will also provide hand sanitizer at each sign in post. Each visit space will be cleaned and disinfected between visitors.
• Residents may have no more than two visitors inside the facility during a visit. If a resident has more than two visitors, they will be asked to visit the non-common areas outside.
• General visits will be encouraged outside under the canopy. There are no restrictions on the time frame of visits.
• Woodhouse will notify the residents, their representatives, and recurring visitors of any changes in the visitation policy.
• Woodhouse does not require a vaccine as a condition for visitation and must allow for consensual physical contact between patients and their loved ones.
• A copy of this policy will be given to each consumer or their Guardian upon admission and placed with the visitors sign in log in each consumer’s floor record.
•  If a visitor appears to be sick, they may be asked to leave.