Visiting Privileges during a Public Health Emergency

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Policy: A public health emergency (PHE) is a declaration made pursuant to the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers. The Homestead will comply with federal law, regulation, requirement, order, or guideline regarding visitation issued by any federal government agency during a declared PHE. The Homestead will comply with any Louisiana SHO order or emergency notice, executive order or proclamation issued by the governor of Louisiana regarding visitation during a declared PHE.

It is the policy of The Homestead to encourage families, friends, other designated persons, and members of the clergy to maintain contact with residents both by correspondence and by personal visits.  We recognize the resident’s need to maintain contact with the community in which he or she has lived and is familiar.  The receipt of visitors is subject to the resident’s wishes and the protection of the rights of other residents in the facility.

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Definitions:

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Visitation by Members of the Clergy during a Declared Public Health Emergency

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1. Clergy shall be defined as follows:

   1. a minister, priest, preacher, rabbi, imam, Christian Science practitioner; or

   2. other similar functionary of a religious organization; or

   3. an individual reasonably believe to be such a clergy member by the person consulting him or her.

2. Immediate family shall mean the following in order of priority:

   1. spouse;

   2. natural or adoptive parent, child, or sibling;

   3. stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, or stepsister;

   4. father-in-law, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law;

   5. grandparent or grandchild; or

   6. spouse of a grandparent or grandchild; or

   7. legal or designated representative of the resident.

3. Resident shall mean a resident or client of a licensed ARCP in Louisiana, or the legal or designated representative of the resident or client.

 

Procedure:

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1. The Homestead shall allow members of the clergy to visit residents of The Homestead during a declared PHE when a resident, or his/her legal or designated representative, requests a visit with a member of the clergy subject to the following conditions and requirements:

1. A copy of the policy and procedure shall be available, without cost, to the resident and his/her legal or designated representative, upon request.

2. The Homestead will provide a reasonable time, place and manner for residents to receive visitors in consultation with appropriate medical personnel, for the purpose of mitigating the possibility of transmission of any infectious agent or infectious disease or for the purpose of addressing the medical condition or clinical consideration of an individual resident.

3. The Homestead will give special consideration and priority for clergy visitation to residents receiving end-of-life care; a clergy member will be screened for infectious agents or infectious diseases, utilizing the current screening or testing methods and protocols recommended by the CDC, as applicable; if there is a current SHO order or emergency notice that requires more rigorous screening or testing methods, or protocols, then The Homestead shall utilize those methods and protocols.

4. A clergy member is not be allowed to visit if such clergy member has obvious signs and/or symptoms of an infectious agent, or infectious disease, or if such clergy member tests positive for an infectious agent or infectious disease.

5. A clergy member is not allowed to visit resident if the clergy member refuses to comply with the provisions of this policy and procedure or refuses to comply with The Homestead reasonable time, place and manner restrictions.

6. A clergy member is required to wear PPE as determined appropriate by The Homestead, considering the resident’s medical condition or clinical considerations; at The Homestead discretion PPE may be made available by The Homestead to clergy members.

7. The resident shall have the right to consensual, nonsexual physical contact such as hand holding or hugging with a member of the clergy. PPE requirements still apply as applicable. 

 

Visitation by Immediate Family Members and Other Designated Persons During a declared PHE

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1. The Homestead shall allow immediate family members and other designated persons to visit a resident during a declared PHE when a resident, or his/her legal or designated representative requests a visit with immediate family members and other designate persons, subject to the following conditions:

   1. A copy of the policy and procedure shall be available, without cost, to the resident and his/her immediate family members and other designated persons.

   2. The Homestead will provide a reasonable time, place and manner for residents to receive visitors in consultation with appropriate medical personnel, for the purpose of mitigating the possibility of transmission of any infectious agent or infectious disease or for the purpose of addressing the medical condition or clinical consideration of an individual resident.

   3. The Homestead will give special consideration and priority for visitation by immediate family members and other designated persons to residents receiving end-of-life care.

   4. Visitation by immediate family members and other designated persons will be screened for infectious agents or infectious diseases, utilizing the current screening or testing methods and protocols recommended by the CDC, as applicable; if there is a current SHO order or emergency notice that requires more rigorous screening or testing methods, or protocols, then The Homestead shall utilize those methods and protocols.

2. If an immediate family member or other designated person has obvious signs or symptoms of an infectious agent or infectious disease, or if such immediate family member or other designated person tests positive for an infectious agent or infectious disease that immediate family member or designated person will not be allowed to visit resident.

3. Immediate family member or other designated persons will not be allowed to visit the resident if the immediate family member and /or other designated person(s) refuses to comply with the provision of The Homestead Policy and Procedure or refuses to comply with The Homestead reasonable time, place and manner restrictions.

4. Immediate family members and other designated persons will be required to wear PPE as determined appropriate by The Homestead staff, considering the resident’s medical condition or clinical consideration; at The Homestead discretion, PPE may be made available by The Homestead staff to immediate family members and other designated persons.

5. The resident and an immediate family member or other designated person shall have the right to consensual, nonsexual physical contact such as hand holding or hugging. PPE requirements still apply as applicable.