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UK FAMILIES FINALLY ABLE TO HOLD HANDS WITH THEIR ELDERLY LOVED ONES AGAIN



Things have been very tough for everyone in the UK since the pandemic started and nowhere has this been more acutely felt than in Britain’s care homes. The exact figures for the number of people that have died in elderly care facilities in the UK due to Covid-19 are not yet known, but it is believed to be much higher than previously thought.

However, after what has been an extremely trying time for any elderly person in a care home or anyone with relatives residing in one, there is finally some good news to report. Measures introduced as part of the government’s recently announced roadmap to easing lockdown restrictions now mean that visitors are once again allowed to physically touch their loved ones.

This will provide some much-needed social contact for senior citizens who’ve been largely without it since Coronavirus reared its head. Since March 8th, one regular visitor is now allowed in that can even hold hands with their relatives indoors, although kisses and hugs are unfortunately still prohibited.





MORE GUIDANCE EXPECTED DURING NEXT 2 WEEKS



The government’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that he was extremely pleased that it’s now possible for people to be ‘safely’ and ‘carefully’ reunited with their loved ones and it comes with the news that Covid infection rates are dropping across the country. It will be just the one designated visitor though, who can keep coming back as often as they wish.

One of the reasons that this has been made possible is that front line care workers were given the Covid-19 vaccine in early February. Scientifically speaking, it’s believed that vaccines become fully effective after a period of around 3 weeks, which means that enough time has passed. That said, getting a vaccine won’t be a pre-condition of becoming a designated visitor.

The government’s vaccination milestones for those over 70 years of age have also been met, meaning that those most vulnerable have been afforded a degree of protection against Coronavirus. More guidance for care homes is expected to be released at some point over the next 2 weeks.



VISITS MAY BE SUSPENDED DURING LOCAL OUTBREAKS



As we’ve seen throughout the Covid crisis, nothing is ever concrete, meaning that if local infections increase, it could see a suspension of this new-found freedom. The government has expressed its desire to balance the risk of becoming infected with the importance of the physical and mental wellbeing of both residents in care homes and their families.

Hancock went on to say “I know how important visiting a loved one is and I'm pleased we are now in a position for people to be reunited with loved ones who live in care homes.

This is just the first step to getting back to where we want to be. We need to make sure we keep the infection rate down, to allow greater visiting in a step by step way in the future”.

The effect of isolation cannot be underestimated for those living in care homes, so it’s just as important that this is considered every bit as much as the risk of Covid infection. What shouldn’t be forgotten though is that we’re all still in the midst of a global pandemic, so equal importance needs to be paid to both.



LET’S TAKE A MORE DETAILED LOOK AT THE NEW RULES...



There are of course some extra stipulations that need to be adhered to in order for the named visitor to be able to enter the care home premises, the first of which is a rapid lateral flow test that needs to be taken before every single visit. After testing negative, the government rules state that physical contact should be minimised between visitor and resident.

Whilst also wearing appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and observing social distancing with all other care home users and staff, visitors are now able to hold the hand of their loved one. Whilst a natural reaction is then to want to hug and kiss your relative, it’s something that you’ll have to wait a little longer for, but being able to hold hands is a good place to start.

What will continue alongside this new provision are outdoor visits, as well as those visits being conducted behind screens and inside pods. This will potentially allow residents the possibility of seeing more than just one person on a regular basis.



OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER



If you’re someone with a relative living in a care home and you’re likely to be the one making the aforementioned visits, there are a few things you need to think about. Firstly, whilst taking the lateral flow test only involves a process that lasts a couple seconds, it does take around 30 minutes for a positive or negative result to be shown, so you’ll likely be sat outside in your car during that time.

Also, visits have to be booked in so you can’t just turn up and expect to be let in. So, you’ll need to call the care home in question to register yourself as the named visitor and to arrange a time to visit, whilst also asking for details of any local infection control procedures that are in place.



A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION



This partial relaxation of the Covid restrictions will be welcomed by families right the way across the country, as many have been separated from their nearest and dearest for many months. What’s more, social contact is vital to the mental wellbeing of not just residents, but also family members that want to be there to support them.

Nobody is suggesting that the elderly should be put at any risk of infection from the virus, but what also can’t be ignored is the fact that just as much damage can be caused through lack of contact with their loved ones. Some people might be reticent about risking anyone’s health by lifting any kind of restriction at present, but we think it’s most definitely a step in the right direction.



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