Compassionate Caregiving Visitation Rights

loc3762

Hi All,  I think everyone needs to contact the Department of Health in your state and demand that compassionate caregiving visitation rights be honored regardless of any hospital, nursing home, or rehab facility.

I'll keep this short.  My DH was taken to the hospital for a possible stroke when he suddenly was unable to stand, balance, or walk.  I was allowed to stay in his room for the duration of his stay.  

DH was transferred to a nursing/rehab on this past Wednesday.  Upon being transferred I was told that I wouldn't be able to see him that day.  I immediately signed up for 9 am the following day.  The nursing home said I was only allowed 45 minutes in a visiting room.  I mention compassionate caregiving rights.  I was told due to the number of covid cases it was not possible at this time.  I saw my DH the next morning in the visiting room where I gave him kisses and hugs and rubbed his arm.

After my visition with my husband I contact our local Ombudmen's office to let them know that the nursing home was not allowing me compassionate caregiving visits.  I explained my husband condition and that i was his life-line.  Ombudmen's contacted the nursing home and a case worker called me.  I explained that I wanted compassionate caregiving right and to see my husband for more than 45 minutes a day.  I also sign up for a scheduled visit for Friday morning (the next day).

When I arrived on Friday morning, I was told that I would have to meet with my husband outside in the courtyard.  I said fine.  The staff then stated that because of covid I was not allowed to touch, kiss, or hold his hand.  When the visition was over I confronted the Admission staff stating that I had special compassionate caregiving rights.  Again I was told that wasn't possible.  I said that I was going to discharge my husband on Monday (today), but I wanted to visition him both days over the weekend.

They said I could not see him on Saturday that there wasn't any available time.  Sunday morning I was giving a 10 time slot.  I didn't press the Saturday issue because I was having a hospital bed, foley lift and other equipment delivered.  Plus I had to rearrange the living room to set everything up.  Basically get everything done for him to come home.  Sunday arrived and I showed up at the nursing home.  I was told that there wasn't enough staff so I could not see him.  Maybe if I came back at 4 pm I might be able to see him (I am a 40 minute drive from the nursing home).  I left and came back at 4 and I did get to see him.

Anyways,  The Alzheimer's Association, the Department of Health, the Ombudmen, and all of you need to complain and sure that compassionate caregiving visitation rights are not a hospital/nursing home/rehab option but a patients bill of rights.  The I left a message with Ombudmen yesterday after being denied my visit stating that I wanted to file an official complaint againt the nursing home.

My husband is coming home today but I suggest you do this now so it NEVER happens to another Alzheimer's or any patient again.  Thank you for listening, Leslie

Crushed

ten thousand times I have asked  people to put their STATE in their profile

Compassionate care giving "rights" are STATE rules   (PHE is public health emergency)

eg New York suspends them when

The declared PHE is related to a communicable disease and DOH determines that local infection rates are at a level that presents a serious risk of transmission of such communicable disease within local facilities; the facility is experiencing temporary inadequate staffing and has reported such staffing shortage to DOH; or 

the federal rule provide no private rights but you can complain Teh big debate now is staffing shortages

Required Visitation We believe the guidance above represents reasonable ways a nursing home can facilitate in-person visitation. Except for on-going use of virtual visits, facilities may still restrict visitation
due to the COVID-19 county positivity rate, the facility’s COVID-19 status, a resident’s COVID-19 status, visitor symptoms, lack of adherence to proper infection control practices, or other relevant factor related to the COVID-19 PHE. However, facilities may not restrict visitation without a reasonable clinical or safety cause, consistent with §483.10(f)(4)(v). For
example, if a facility has had no COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days and its county positivity rate is low or medium, a nursing home must facilitate in-person visitation consistent with the regulations, which can be done by applying the guidance stated above. Failure to facilitate  visitation, without adequate reason related to clinical necessity or resident safety, would
constitute a potential violation of 42 CFR 483.10(f)(4), and the facility would be subject to  citation and enforcement actions. Residents who are on transmission-based precautions for COVID-19 should only receive visits that are virtual, through windows, or in-person for compassionate care situations, with adherence to transmission-based precautions. However, this restriction should be lifted once transmission-
based precautions are no longer required per CDC guidelines, and other visits may be conducted as described above.

loveskitties

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