MARY DANIEL

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill April 6 that will make it easier for people to see their loved ones in health care facilities.

Essential caregivers are those who provide health care services or help with daily life, including dressing and eating, while compassionate care visitors provide emotional support. Daniel said she fought hard for compassionate care visitors to be able to hug residents. All visitations will be by appointment and long-term care residents can designate up to five visitors, with two at a time seeing someone. Essential and compassionate care visitors are exempt from the 14-day rule, according to the governor. Mayhew said the current positivity rate for COVID-19 infections among long-term care staff is about 1.2%.

Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that he will lift the states ban on visiting nursing homes that has cut off vulnerable seniors from family since mid-March over fears of spreading the new coronavirus. DeSantis said he would lift the ban on visitations in an executive order later Tuesday, following recommendations from a nursing home task force. The task force appointed by the governor recommended a lengthy set of rules last week, giving wide leeway for wary nursing homes on how to implement them. Henry McMaster announcing visitations at nursing homes could resume after nearly six months, but only outdoors and with no hugs or kisses. But some members, including state Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees, repeatedly expressed grave concerns during task force meetings.

Ron DeSantis task force on reopening nursing homes and long-term care facilities met again Tuesday afternoon for a second time and all members generally agreed outdoor visits amongst families, with protective precautions, are a good idea. Family members have not been allowed to see loved ones face-to-face inside nursing homes and long-term care facilities since March, when Florida first started reporting coronavirus cases. After she was denied visitation, Daniel got a job inside her husbands Jacksonville nursing home because she was so desperate to spend time with him as he battles Alzheimers disease. So this will add additional responsibilities for them especially if its formalized, so please keep that in consideration.Reed said cost will also be an issue - spending money to build climate-controlled outdoor facilities and paying staff to supervise visits. The task force meets again Wednesday afternoon before sending any recommendations to the governor to consider.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Florida may soon roll back on visitation restrictions for nursing homes and long-term care facilities to help families reunite with their loved ones during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Apart from restricting visits, the state has also boosted personal protective equipment supplies for long-term care and nursing home facilities and prohibited COVID-19 positive residents return back to their nursing homes. Daniel took a dishwasher position at a memory care facility to be able to spend time with her husband while family visits are being restricted. How we can make these loved ones, feel loved and nurtured and held and hugged again? she challenged the group. He added that the state may be able to include central caregivers into their testing operations at long-term care and nursing home facilities.

Mary went 114 days without seeing her husband who has early onset of Alzheimers, after the coronavirus forced the facility to ban all visitors. She took a job as a part-time dishwasher at the facility so that she is able to see her husband. Thats how long Mary Daniel went without seeing her husband after the coronavirus banned visitors from his nursing home, separating the couple for the first time since he was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's seven years ago. When the Jacksonville nursing home locked down in March, Daniel didnt think it would last long. Can I get a job? she asked with sincerity, marking each day apart from her husband with growing unease.