JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Gov. Ron DeSantis wants a “Patients Bill of Rights” that would guarantee people the chance to see their families while in the hospital.
This is after families were separated by COVID-19 restrictions early in the pandemic.
There is also an effort gaining ground in Tallahassee to guarantee access to loved ones in long-term care facilities. One organization said guardianships should also be included in this effort.
Susan Melendy and Hillary Hogue’s fathers both experienced life in guardianship.
“Most people don’t have any access to the outside world,” Hogue said. “That is the definition of isolation.”
While Hogue managed to get her father out after four years, Melendy’s dad remains in a limited one. She said isolation is a real threat.
“Just picture your own loved ones and how scared they would be,” Melendy said.
The two women push for guardianship reform by creating the Guardianship Improvement Task Force two years ago.
Now, they are hoping those in guardianships will be included in the proposed “Patients Bill of Rights.”
“It would be awesome to know that family members, loving family members, would be able to visit their family members without a hassle,” Hogue said.
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Guardianship is when a judge appoints someone to care for and make personal decisions for an individual who is determined incapacitated or cannot make decisions on their own.
The guardian can be a family member, a friend, or even a professional caretaker among other qualified individuals. They have the power to make financial and health-related decisions for the person.
Hogue and Melendy want those patients to have easy access to their loved ones.
“Nobody deserves to be alone if they’re in a hospital or in a facility,” Melendy said. “We don’t want to think about anyone ever dying alone or being so sick that they don’t have that significant other, or child, or it might be only one person.”
Back in 2020, DeSantis did sign a guardianship reform bill into law.
It was meant to expand protections for seniors under a guardian’s care, oversight of guardians, and reporting requirements.
The “Patients Bill of Rights” is still being developed and News4JAX is working to find out additional aspects of the proposed bill.