Solihull Living Nov - Dec 2020

VISITS TO CARE HOMES
We have an overview as to
how the Covid19 pandemic
has changed visits to care
homes. Here Professor June
Andrews gives us some
advice.
Everyone understands that with the
current risks from the Covid19 pandemic,
government rules about visiting in
hospitals and care homes must be tight.
Care homes are disappointed that they
can’t welcome visitors in any time, day or
night, when normally visitors and relatives
have free range, even having sleepovers
with their loved one in a spare room, or
special guest wing.
Care homes know that it is important for
families and friends of residents to be
connected as much as possible. They
have been trying to make this happen
while the local rules have changed,
sometimes week on week. hey aim to
reunite residents with everyone else, but
they have to keep people safe from the
virus. One manager told me, “It’s about
balancing risk. The local inspectors are
really worried about the Covid19 risk.
I worry just as much about the risk of
depression and anxiety from people being
isolated. We love our residents and try to
be like family, but we never really are.”
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Staff must have regular coronavirus
testing and there are risk assessments
from local public health officials. And if
the test comes back positive, the staff
member has to go off, and staffing
problems are caused because you don’t
want just anyone to step in and fill their
shoes.
With imagination and flair new visiting
ideas have come up. Sweet little beach
huts decorated with bunting, with soft
furnishings and comfy chairs have sprung
up in the gardens of care homes. With
two entrances, and a discrete Perspex
screen down the middle, the visitor and
the resident can feel as if they really are
together and can talk freely. In some
places it started with basic pop up tents,
and garden chairs, but even now, spare
rooms on the ground floor are being
converted as the weather turns colder.
Still no cuddles though.
Care homes have Wi-Fi and access to
tablets so that residents can communicate
with family and see them with face time
calls and skype. It is not ideal, because
many older residents are not accustomed
to this or have lost recent skills due to
dementia, but in many cases it is good
fun, and a comfort to the families to see
their relative.
Most people would prefer not to go to a
care home, but a good home is a place of
peace
and comfort at the end of life.
They are working hard to make things
right in this extraordinary time, and with
practice, and increasing flexibility about
the rules, things are getting better, and will
continue to do so.
Professor June Andrews OBE FRCN FCGI
is an expert in care of older frail people
and people with dementia. She has
worked in the NHS and government, as
well as academia and is currently working
across all sectors of health and social
care, independent and statutory.
Professor Andrews has written many
books including Care Homes: When, Why
and How to choose a Care Home.
Home care or a care home (if, or when,
it is needed) can be a joy and a respite,
exactly as you would want it to be,
and a welcome solace when living
independently has become too hard or
lonely.
To find out more visit
www.juneandrews.net