No Patient Left  Alone Visitation Policy

Sonata Senior Living communities comply with the requirements of Florida’s No Patient Left Alone Act.

1. Visitors to Sonata Senior Living communities are required to Sign In and Out on the log at the front desk. This log will be maintained in a binder with tabs. The tabs will include:

• • Tab 1 – the ‘Visitor Sign In and Out Log Sheets’.
  • Tab 2 – current infection control education for visitors. This will include education regarding current areas of concern and CDC guidelines/recommendations (i.e. COVID-19, Influenza, Noro Virus, Cover Your Cough, Handwashing, etc.).
    • The educational collaterals may be in the form of patient education pamphlets, printed materials from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), local health department education documents, etc.
    • All documents provided for educational purposes will be written in a manner/language understandable to the general population.
    • Nursing staff will be made available to answer any questions from visitors.

• • Tab 3 – requirements for visitors if applicable.
  • Tab 4 – current personal protective equipment (PPE) required for visitors if applicable.
    • Instruction for proper use of required PPE will be included and written in a manner/language understandable to the general population.
    • Nursing staff will be made available to answer any questions from visitors.
  • Tab 5  – any other infection control protocols currently applicable for visitors.
  • Tab 6 – the No Patient Left Alone Visitation Policy.

2. This community does not have a time limit for the length of visits during the day. See Guest Policy below for limits on overnight visitors.

3. This community does not have a limit on the numbers of visitors.

• • However, if social distancing measures are in place, the number of visitors may not exceed the space available in common areas or in the resident’s room for visitors to safely socially distance.
  • The number of visitors may not encroach or interfere with other residents’ space.
  • Visitor’s must not create a noise environment that disturbs other residents.
  • See Guest Policy below for additional rules.

4. The Executive Director (ED) is designated as the person responsible for ensuring that staff adhere to the policies and procedures.

5. Safety-related policies and procedures for visitors will not be more stringent than those established for community Team Members.

6. The community will not require visitors to submit proof of any vaccination or immunization.

7. The community will allow consensual physical contact between a resident and the visitor.

8. Residents will not be required to designate a visitor who is a family member, friend, guardian, or other individual as an essential caregiver, as the community will allow all residents to have in-person visitation for at least 2 hours daily, including the following circumstance unless the resident objects:

• • End-of-life situations.
  • A resident who was living with family before being admitted and is struggling with the change in environment and lack of in-person family support.
  • The resident is making one or more major medical decisions.
  • The resident is experiencing emotional distress or grieving the loss of a friend or family member who recently died.
  • The resident needs cueing or encouragement to eat or drink which was previously provided by a family member or caregiver.
  • A resident who used to talk and interact with others is seldom speaking.

9. This community may require a visitor to agree in writing to follow the provider’s policies and procedures.

10. The community may suspend in person visitation of a specific visitor if the visitor violates the policies and procedures.

11. The community will provide the visitation policies and procedures to the agency when applying for initial licensure, licensure renewal, or change of ownership.

12. The community will make the visitation policies and procedures available to the agency for review at any time, upon request.

13. Within 24 hours after establishing the policies and procedures required under this section, the community will make such policies and procedures easily accessible from the homepage of their websites.

14. Visitors must abide by the House Rules, Residency Agreement, and Guest Policies. Guest Policy includes:

• • All Visitors must sign in and out at the front desk when entering or leaving the Community.
  • For the protection of all the Community’s Residents and staff, all guests must be free of contagious disease.
  • Children must not play in the hallways, stairwells, elevators, or any other place that may be dangerous.  Children must be accompanied by an adult who is capable of supervising them at all times.
  • Resident guests are encouraged to accompany the resident to activities at the Community and to participate in those activities, provided the Executive Director receives reasonable notice of their participation and the resident (or the guests) pay any applicable fee for the activity.  However, guests may not participate in activities at the Community unaccompanied by a resident without the Executive Director’s advance consent.
  • For their protection, guests must not enter any rooms or other areas (such as boiler rooms and kitchens) where Residents are not allowed access.  Likewise, guests shall not enter other Residents’ units.
  • Before a visitor stays in a resident’s Apartment overnight, the resident must notify the Executive Director in writing.  Guests may stay in a resident’s apartment for a maximum of five (5) consecutive days and ten (10) days per calendar year.  (There is no carry-forward of unused days in any calendar year.)  Any stay beyond this period will be allowed only with the Executive Director’s prior approval which may be withheld in his or her sole discretion.  There will be a guest accommodation fee for any such extended stay.
  • Guests may not live in a resident’s apartment when the resident is absent from the Community.
  • The community may maintain a unit for overnight guests.  Guests are welcome to use the unit, space permitting, for a maximum of seven (7) consecutive nights and fourteen (14) days per year.  There is a nightly charge for the use of the unit.  Meals are available at additional charge as well.
  • Laundry facilities at the Community are for the use of Residents only.  If guests require laundry services, please contact our Administrative office.  Laundry services will be provided to guest for a fee.
  • Guests are welcome to accompany residents to meals at the Community; however, we request that the resident give the Food Service Department at least two (2) hours’ notice of guest meals.  (Greater notice may be required for large parties, holiday meals and special events.)  Residents will be required to pay for all guest meals at the rates set forth in the Community’s current fee schedule.
  • The Community reserves the right to charge residents extra fees if additional or more thorough housekeeping or maintenance is required as a result of guests’ visits.
  • All guests must conduct themselves in a manner that does not jeopardize the health or safety of others at the Community or interfere with their quiet enjoyment of the premises.  If the Community determines, in its sole discretion, that any guest does not meet these requirements, that person will be required to leave the premises immediately.
  • Residents are responsible for the conduct of their guests. The Community will have zero tolerance for any guest, who is abusive to or threatens any Resident or staff member; who fails to follow the House Rules or who otherwise creates an unsafe condition.  Any such guest will be asked to leave the premises immediately.  Depending on the circumstances, the Community may also contact the local law enforcement agency.
  • The Community may develop additional policies, as it deems appropriate, to help assure that guests do not become a disturbance or burden to others at the Community.