Hospice patients are particularly vulnerable in the face of infectious diseases like COVID-19. For their safety and that of the staff caring for them, we are following federal, state and local agency guidelines to limit potential exposure.

Below are our visitation policies for patients in Inpatient Care Centers, and our protocol for face-to-face visits by our staff to your home.

Inpatient Care Center Visitors

We’ve updated our COVID-19 visitation policy as of 11/18/2020. In compliance with federal, state and local agency requirements, the following is now in effect:

• Patients are permitted a max of 5 visitors per day
• Two visitors allowed at one time
• Patients who are COVID positive are allowed 2 visitors per day.
• No children under 14 years old are permitted to visit.
• Visitors should bring their own cloth masks and are required to wear them while in the building. Failure to do so will result in loss of visiting privileges.
• Anyone with a fever greater than 100.4 degrees will not be allowed to visit; however, we will encourage a virtual visit via Facetime on mobile phones and devices.

If you are visiting a Covid positive patient, you will be given PPE and instructions.

Each visitor must pass the screening questions on the sign-in sheet:

1. Have you or anyone in your household traveled internationally within the last 14 days?
2. Have you had contact with:
   1. Anyone with signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a fever, cough, and sore throat?
   2. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or greater?
   3. Someone with or under investigation for COVID-19, or who is ill with a respiratory illness in the last 14 days?

If your loved one’s condition changes and we believe they are in the 3-day window, we will notify you and encourage visitation following the above guidelines.

The continued spread and spike of the Covid 19 virus is concerning for all of us. We understand that communication with your loved one is incredibly important, and we encourage you to communicate with them in other ways, including by telephone, video chat, e-mail or social media. We are happy to help you with this. Please notify the Inpatient Care Center for assistance.

 

Protocol for Hospice staff visits to patients’ homes

Your safety, and that of your family and caregivers, is our primary concern. You are very vulnerable to viruses at this time. We strongly encourage you to avoid contact with people that are Covid positive, those that are positive and asymptomatic or those that have symptoms of fever and respiratory illness. Limiting exposure to the virus can only happen by restricting your visitors.

Our staff safety is also of great importance and we are committed to their safety and protection from exposure. To that end, we ask that you wear a mask in their presence and limit the number of people in the home at the time of their visit. If you or someone in your household refuses to wear a mask, please comply with our policy and leave the room while our team member is visiting.

When we visit, we will ask you questions regarding your health and the health of those with whom you are in contact. These are the same questions every health care organization in the city is asking and are recommended by our Governor and the CDC. These questions include:

1. Have you or anyone in your household traveled internationally within the last 14 days?
2. Have you had contact with:
   1. Anyone with signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a fever, cough, and sore throat?
   2. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or greater?
   3. Someone with or under investigation for COVID-19, or who is ill with a respiratory illness in the last 14 days?

We understand that you may have concerns about our staff coming to your home. Rest assured that we are following precautions recommended by the CDC to keep both you and our staff healthy so that we can continue to care for you and keep you safe.