Please keep reading our information because it changes every day. Below is the latest information provided to the association -- please note that we will continue to send updates as soon as we receive any new information.
COVID-19 UPDATE 60
October 23, 2020
New Visitation Emergency Order Issued--DEM 20-011

Per Governor DeSantis' direction, the Department of Emergency Management has issued a new Emergency Order (20-011) to update the current Visitation Policies. A summary of the changes in this order are as follows:

  • Clarifies that family, friends, and individuals can visit residents enrolled in hospice.
  • Clarifies that hospice/palliative care workers can care for residents enrolled in hospice.
  • Authorizes attorneys and their legal staff acting in their capacity as the legal representatives of residents to visit in specified situations.
  • Removes the designation for Essential Caregivers and expands the role of Compassionate Caregivers and General Visitors. Please take a look at the type of services that have been added below:

  • Compassionate Care Visitors:
  • Expands role of Compassionate Care Visitors so they may provide “support” (including significant changes, the needs for assistance, cueing or encouraging with eating or drinking or emotional distress or decline), and not just emotional support.
  • Removes the specified limit of number of Compassionate Care Visitors (2) and (1) visitor at a time.
  • Requires communities to provide instructional signage throughout the community and infection prevention and control “education.”
  • Emphasizes need to monitor those who may have difficulty with compliance with adherence to facemasks, PPE and social distancing, such as children.
  • Clarifies that Compassionate Care Visitors may “visit” and are not required to “provide care.”
  • Clarifies that Compassionate Care Visitors are not required to maintain social distance from the resident being visited.

  • Changes to General Visitation:
  • Allows outdoor visitation even if the community has new facility-onset of resident/staff Covid-19 cases.
  • Removes the 18+ age limit for general visitors.
  • Removes the specified limit on the number of General Visitors (5) and (2) visitors at one time.

  • All communities are encouraged to provide regular COVID-19 testing for staff and visitors.

If you are interested in ordering Rapid Tests, please send an email to RapidTestForSeniors@EM.MyFlorida.com

After sending an email, you will receive the following response email:

Thank you for reaching out to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Please click on the following link to complete a survey for consideration to receive BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid test kits. Survey - https://maps.floridadisaster.org/SeniorRapidTestSurvey


If you have an opportunity, please watch the Governor's entire press conference by clicking on the following website link below:


Please contact FSLA if you have any questions at info@floridaseniorliving.org