The state’s emergency order that limits visitation to Florida's nursing homes and other long-term care facilities has been rescinded.
What You Need To Know
- Long-term care facilities were locked down at start of pandemic
- There was no official announcement about the change
- Caregivers are calling for consistency, saying the order is too vague
It’s a major development for those facilities, which have been locked down since the start of the pandemic.
However, this doesn’t mean the doors are now wide open. The new order directs nursing homes to now follow the latest CMS guidelines released earlier this month.
Previously, there had been confusion as to which set of guidelines to follow. Both facilities and family advocates called on the state to clarify.
“Consistency is what we as caregivers want,” said advocate Mary Daniel, who says the language in the new order is still too vague.
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) sent out an alert to all long-term facilities Tuesday afternoon.
In it, the agency calls on facilities to “strive to help alleviate the burden caused by separation of residents from their loved ones.”
Those who feel a facility is pushing back on this latest order should contact AHCA to file a complaint.
State Order Rescinding Florida's Nursing Home Lockdown by Dale Greenstein on Scribd