Complaint Investigation Report

Allegation: Resident visitation rights are violated.

The complaint alleges that when (2) visitors asked the facility if resident (R1) could join them for a lunch outing, with their mom, another resident, off site,. they were told by the Memory Care Director she would need to check with (R1's) family. The Memory Care Director followed up and sent a text to one of the visitors stating that they could no longer visit with (R1) due to Covid and they would have to wear a mask for outdoor visitation.

LPA reviewed several emails received from an individual who had visited with R1 in the Memory Care Unit on multiple occasions. The individual stated on 4/26/22, that she had visited with R1 the Friday before (4/22/22) and following the visit she received a text from another individual who had also visited with her that day, stating that they would not be able to visit again if they did not wear a mask both indoors and outdoors. The visitor stated that she has not always been diligent about wearing a mask inside due to another friend being hard of hearing that she also visited with.

LPA reviewed a subsequent email from the same visitor, dated 4/29/22, noting that she and another visitor were d enied visitation with resident (R1) due to resident's family not granting permission and they were also not allowed to enter the Memory Care Unit to visit another resident (R2), who also resides in the Memory Care Unit, but had to visit outdoors where the facility staff brought R2 to meet them.

LPA reviewed a third email received on 5/7/22 where the same visitor states that she was again denied visitation inside the facility on 5/6/22 and was only permitted to visit outside the building with resident (R2). The email states that the visitor inquired with facility staff why she/they could not visit with R1 on the inside Memory Care patio and the staff did not provide an answer.

The Memory Care Director stated that she communicated with the daughter of R2 that since the (2) ladies visiting R1 "are always removing their masks", they would need to conduct any future visits outdoors. LPA reviewed a copy of a text message sent from the family member of resident (R2) to one of the visitors who had visited resident (R1) on 4/22/22. The text message states that it is a summary of the phone call made by a facility director to the family member of R2 with the following requests made: 1) Masks need to be worn at all times; 2) Indoor visits no longer allowed; 3) Outdoor visits still allowed but masks still need to be worn at all times; 4) Visiting with other residents is unfortunately not allowed due to not only Covid safety but for privacy as well; 5) if the (2) visitors wishing to visit with R1 are unmasked again, they will no longer be able to visit.