Resident Rights to Have Visitors under North Carolina Law
As of November 1, 2021, North Carolina law guarantees all residents of this facility the following visitation rights, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 131E-112.5:
· Each adult care facility licensed under this N.C. General Statutes chapter 131E shall permit residents to receive visitors to the fullest extent permitted under any applicable rules, regulations, or guidelines adopted by either the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or any federal or state law.
· Should circumstances require the complete closure of an adult care facility to visitors, the adult care facility shall use its best efforts to develop alternate visitation protocols that would allow visitation to the greatest extent safely possible.
· Each adult care facility shall allow compassionate care visits. An adult facility may require compassionate care visitors to submit to health screenings necessary to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, an adult care facility may restrict a compassionate care visitor who does not pass a health screening requirement or who has tested positive for an infectious disease. An adult care facility may require compassionate care visitors to adhere to infection control procedures, including wearing personal protective equipment. Compassionate care situations that require visits include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) End-of-life situations.
(2) A resident who was living with his or her family before recently being admitted to the facility is struggling with the change in environment and lack of physical family support.
(3) A resident who is grieving after a friend or family member recently passed away.
(4) A resident who needs cueing and encouragement with eating or drinking, previously provided by family or caregivers, is experiencing weight loss or dehydration.
(5) A resident, who used to talk and interact with others, is experiencing emotional distress, seldom speaking, or crying more frequently when the resident had rarely cried in the past.”
If you feel this facility has denied you these rights, you may contact the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation, Adult Care Licensure Section at 1-800-624-3004 or 919-855-4500.