Visitor Policy

Policy number: V-10

Effective date: November 2010

Last revision date: March 2024

On this page

1. 1. Purpose
   2. Policy
   3. Procedure

1. Purpose

To increase resident quality of life and decrease isolation by ensuring residents have access to in-person visits.

2. Policy

Grandview Lodge supports the residents fundamental right to receive visitors without interference.

3. Procedure

All employees of Grandview Lodge are required to enforce this policy.  Each visitor must have knowledge of the policy and abide by the provisions set forth in this policy.

Grandview Lodge does not subscribe to designated visiting hours.

All visitors must:

1. Report any health and safety concerns to Management, Registered staff or designates.
2. Not smoke in the smoke room – smoking may only take place in designated areas outside of the building.
3. Follow all posted signs and rules, including but not limited to the Resident Bill of Rights and Haldimand County’s Respect in the Workplace Policy.
4. Follow the instructions of staff in the event of an emergency and remain in the designated areas until further instruction.
5. Follow all policies and procedures during an outbreak in the Home, and ensure that you receive appropriate information.
6. When doors to the home have been secured, visitors must ring the doorbell and wait for staff to respond.
7. Overnight visits are permitted under certain circumstances and must be arranged with the Associate Director of Nursing

Ending a Visit

Grandview Lodge will end a visit by any visitor who repeatedly fails to adhere to the home’s visitor policy, provided:

• • Grandview Lodge has explained the applicable requirement(s) to the visitor;
  • The visitor has the resources to adhere to the requirement(s) and
  • The visitor has been given sufficient time to adhere to the requirement(s).

If a visit should end documentation will take place as to the non-adherence.

Temporarily Prohibiting a Visitor 

It is up to the discretion of Grandview Lodge to temporarily prohibit a visitor in response to repeated and flagrant non-adherence with the visitor policy.  In exercising this discretion Grandview Lodge will consider whether the non-adherence:

• • Can be resolved successfully by explaining and demonstrating how the visitor can adhere to the requirements.
  • Negatively impacts the health and safety of residents, staff and other visitors in the home.
  • Is demonstrated continuously by the visitor over multiple visits.
  • Is by a visitor whose previous visits have been ended by the home. 

Any decision to temporarily prohibit a visitor should:

• • Be made only after all other reasonable efforts to maintain safety during visits have been exhausted;
  • Stipulate a reasonable length of the prohibition;
  • Clearly identify what requirements the visitor should meet before visits may be resumed (e.g. reviewing the home’s visitor policy, reviewing specific Public Health Ontario resources, etc.); and,
  • Be documented by the home.

Where the home had temporarily prohibited a caregiver, the resident and/or their substitute decision-maker may need to designate an alternate individual as caregiver to help meet the resident’s care needs.

Procedures for this policy are subject to change with little notice in response to emergency situations or when the health and wellbeing of residents and staff may be compromised without the implementation of additional precautions. Grandview Lodge will post the most up-to-date Visitor Policy to the website in response to such situations.