A Banyan Residence at Wildwood cannot require a vaccine as a condition to visitation and must allow for consensual physical contact between patients and their loved ones.

SB 988 states that all hospitals, hospices, and long-term care facilities visitation policies and procedures must allow for in-person visitation in all the following circumstances, unless the resident, client, or patient objects:

• End-of-life situations.
• A resident, client, or patient who was living with family before being admitted to the provider’s care is struggling with the change in environment and lack of in-person family support.
• The resident, client, or patient is making one or more major medical decisions.
• A resident, client, or patient is experiencing emotional distress or grieving the loss of a friend or family member who recently died.
• A resident, client, or patient needs cueing or encouragement to eat or drink which was previously provided by a family member or caregiver.
• A resident, client, or patient who used to talk and interact with others is seldom speaking.
• For hospitals, childbirth, including labor and delivery.
• Pediatric patients.
In addition, a resident, client, or patient is given the option to designate a visitor who is a family member, guardian, or other individual as an essential caregiver. A Banyan Residence at Wildwood must allow in-person visitation by the essential caregiver for at least 2 hours daily in addition to any other visitation authorized by the provider.

Furthermore, A Banyan Residence at Wildwood has the following in-place:

• Our company policy is to allow visitation with residents 24/7 in a nearly unrestricted manner. Appointments are not required, there is no limitation on length of visit time, and no limitation on number of guests.
• Residents are allowed to leave the property with an authorized person so long as they are signed out at the front desk on departure and signed in at the front desk on re-arrival. MedTech is to be notified of absence and expected length of time, as well.
• Guide to ‘Help Prevent Infections’ as a visitor will be posted in the front lobby, with copies made available upon request.
• In an effort to curb potential exposure to communicable disease, we ask that if you feel sick AT ALL, do not visit on property. We are happy to set you up in our socially distanced outdoor visitation area for a visit if it means keeping a sick person away from our residents.
• There is no limitation as to where a resident can be visited on property, both indoor or outdoor.