BAYBERRY CARE CENTER

 

 

Department:  Administration

Approved By: 

Policy Date:   6/15/2021

Revision Date: 

 

Personal and Compassionate Caregiving Visitors POLICY: 

It is the policy of Bayberry Care Center to provide facility access to Personal Caregiving Visitors and Compassionate Caregiving Visitors in compliance with section 2801-h of the Public Health Law (PHL) and section 461-h of the Social Services Law (SSL), as enacted by Chapter 108 of the Laws of 2021.   

PROCEDURE:

Resident Designating Personal (PCV) and Compassionate (CCV) Caregivers

 

Definition:  A “personal caregiving visitor” means a family member, close friend, or legal guardian of a resident designated by such resident, or such resident’s lawful representative, to assist with personal caregiving or compassionate caregiving for the resident. Personal caregiving is defined as care and support of a resident to benefit such resident’s mental, physical, or social well-being.

 

Residents will have the opportunity to designate individuals to serve as their personal and/or compassionate caregiver during a declared local or state health emergency.  

 

Residents will be entitled to designate two personal or compassionate caregivers, each of whom may visit separately at designated times.  If the resident is unable to designate caregivers, the designated representative will be entitled to designate two personal or compassionate caregivers.  The facility may allow additional compassionate caregivers to visit concurrently in end-of-life circumstances. 

 

To ensure designated PCV or CCV remains accurate, the facility will update designated personal and compassionate caregiver form (attached):

1. On admission

2. Quarterly

3. Significant change of condition

 

A Designated Personal and Compassionate Caregivers form will be placed and updated in the resident’s EMR.

 

Frequency and Duration of PCV

 

1. Facility will determine frequency and durations based on the residents clinical or personal care needs, and the facility’s ability and staffing capacity to ensure strict adherence by such caregiving visitors to prevailing infection control protocols.  

2. In the event that the resident has a roommate, the facility will attempt to stagger the visits to ensure the roommate has adequate privacy and space to receive care as well as retain adequate social distancing.   Should the roommate elect to remain in the room during a caregiving visit, the visitor and resident receiving the visit will be offered the opportunity to conduct the visit, if possible, in a designated socially separated designated visitation area on the first floor.  

3. The facility will ensure that all personal caregiver visits will occur when the facility has sufficient staff to effectively screen and ensure infection control protocols are followed. 

4. The facility will have sufficient supply of necessary PPE for all PCVs. 

 

Infection Control for PCV

 

1. The facility will provide PCV appropriate PPE for each visitor.  Each visitor will be required to wear PPE upon entry to the facility. 

2. The PCV will be required to present validation of a COVID-19 vaccination and the results of a negative COVID-19 test from no more than 7 days prior to the visit.

3. Body temperature will be checked upon entry into the facility.  Visitor will be denied access with a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

4. Health screen will be conducted on all PCV upon entry into the facility.

5. Except to provide personal care, visitor will be required to social distance during visitation.

 

Personal Caregiving Visitor that poses a threat of serious physical, mental or psychological harm to a resident. 

 

1. The facility will document date of and reason for visitation refusal in resident’s chart.

2. The facility will communicate to the resident and designated representative the decision not to allow visitation on same day of refusal.

3. The facility will refuse access or remove from the premises any personal caregiver visitor who is causing or reasonably likely to cause physical injury to any facility resident or personnel.

 

Personal Caregiving Visitor (PCV) Restrictions:

 

1. The facility will get written statement from the outside providers (physician, RN, licensed, certified social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist) in the event the facility has documented and has reasonable cause that resident will not benefit from PCV.   This written statement from the provider will be maintained in the resident’s EMR.

2. The facility will suspend PCV if a public health emergency is declared due to communicable disease.  The facility will communicate with the Department of Health to determine if local infection rates are at a level that present serious risk of transmission.

3. If the facility is experiencing temporary inadequate staffing to ensure full compliance with all PCV protocols, the facility will alert DOH of the need to temporarily suspend PCV visits.

4. PCV visits may also be suspended in the event of an acute emergency such as: 

   1. Loss of heat

   2. Loss of elevator

   3. Any temporary loss of essential service

 

In the event of a suspension of visitation, the facility will notify the residents, the caregiving visitors, and the Department of Health Regional Office within 24 hours of visitation suspension.  Additionally, the facility will for each day of suspension, document the specific reason for such suspension in the facility’s administrative records. 

 

During the suspension, the facility will provide assistance to the residents to engage in remote visitation until the suspension is ended. 

 

Compassionate Caregiving Visitor (CCV)

 

Definition:  Resident experiencing acute physical, mental, or psychosocial health conditions for which in the opinion of the resident, their legal representative, or health care professional, a CCV would improve the resident’s quality of life.  The resident or their representative will designate at least two CCV at one time and facility will record designation on attached form and document in the resident’s EMR. 

The PCV can also be the CCV.

 

Residents Allowed CCV

 

1. End of life situations

2. Residents recently admitted to the facility with significant adjustment issues.

3. Residents grieving from recent loss of friend or family.

4. Resident needs cuing and encouragement with eating or drinking due to family or caregiver previously provided and residents is experiencing weight loss or dehydration.

5. Resident who is experiencing severe emotional distress.

6. CCV shall be permitted at all times, except for the following instances:

   1. If visitor cannot produce a negative test on-site or no more than 7 days prior to visit.

   2. Temperature is greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

   3. Health screen shows signs and symptoms of communicable disease subject to the declared public health emergency.

   4. Failure to don appropriate PPE for visit with resident.

   5. Failure to socially distance except as necessary to provide personal caregiving during visitation. 

   6. Not adhering to hand hygiene protocols before and after resident contact. 

Designated Personal and Compassionate Caregivers

 

The New York State Department of Health issued emergency regulations regarding Personal and Compassionate Caregivers in Skilled Nursing Facilities.   These regulations allow you to choose a “personal caregiving visitor” which can be a family member, a close friend, or a legal guardian designated by you, or your lawful representative, to assist with personal caregiving or compassionate caregiving for you. Personal caregiving is defined as care and support of a resident to benefit such resident’s mental, physical, or social well-being, and compassionate caregiving is defined as personal caregiving provided in anticipation of the end of the resident’s life or in the instance of significant mental, physical, or social decline or crisis.

 

 

Resident Name: _________________________________Room #: __________   Date: ______________

 

Resident’s Representative (if applicable): ___________________________________________________

 

I designate the following individual(s) to be my personal caregiver(s): 

 

 ____________________________________________________________________________________

 

I designate the following individual(s) to be my Compassionate Caregiver(s) 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

□    I do not wish to designate a Personal or Compassionate Caregiver at this time. 

 

The facility will periodically check with me to ensure that the above individual(s) remain as my caregivers, or I can change my caregiver(s) at any time by informing the social worker or nursing supervisor.   

 

________________________________________________                            ________________

Resident or Resident Representative signature/verbal authorization     Date      

 

____________________________________________________ _________________

Facility Representative or designee signature     Date

​

PROCEDURE: EMERGENGY PERSONAL/COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVING VISITS:

 

1. The Social Worker/Designee will ask the Resident or Designated Representative (if resident lacks capacity) to designate two individuals to serve as their personal caregiving visitors/compassionate caregiving visitors during a declared public health emergency.

2. The designated personal caregivers shall be identified in the resident’s medical record.

3.  The selection of designated caregiving visitors shall be reviewed:  upon admission, re-admission, quarterly and at time of significant change and updated in the resident’s comprehensive plan of care.

4.  In order to maintain social distancing, the resident will be permitted to have one personal caregiver on site at a time.

5.  Hours for caregiving visits will be from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm Monday, Thursday and Friday.

6.  All Caregiving Visitors will be required to:

a.  Complete a health screening upon arrival.

b.  Produce a negative covid-19 test result from within the past seven days.

c.  Have a temperature check.

d.  Sanitize hands prior to entry and during visit when there is resident contact.

e.  Wear all required PPE during the visit (provided by Facility).  

f.  Maintain social distancing of six feet, except when providing personal care to the resident.

Failure to adhere to the above requirements may result in the suspension of visitation.

7.  When visit has ended the personal caregiver/compassionate caregiver, will exit the building directly and not travel to other areas of the Facility.