Concern about care home visit

[Pud2]

My mum is in a care home. During lockdown we were obviously not allowed in but, in June, they allowed one visitor for one hour a week. This was in the garden, at a table, two metres apart and felt pretty safe. However, when I went today, I was ushered into the home and straight into my mother’s room without warning. I had Hand sanitised, and I had a mask on. I was also given a fairly pointless apron but after that, there were no protective measure and I was just left in mum’s room with her. She has dementia so kept getting up to hug me and give me things. Obviously I kept reminding her to keep her distance but it felt really unsafe.

I just wondered what systems are in place for visits in other care homes in your experience?

Anyone? Just keen to know what procedures are in place in other care homes. Thank you.

Are you in Wales? Indoor visits are now allowed there.

No, I’m in England.

I think it is down to the individual home if they are privately owned or local authority if one of their homes
Could it be that since testing is in care homes that they are allowing visits inside?

The care home I work in isn't allowing visitors yet.

And no sign of it being allowed in the near future.

Although I think in my area it is still recommended for outside visits so lots of gazebos and marques (or umbrellas) and 1 person per family to visit

Why did it feel unsafe?

Have you been spending a lot of time close to strangers.

If you have been observing rules and they have been observing rules the chances of either of you having it are very low.

Thanks. I’m a teacher so a very aware of rules, risk assessments etc. I think it felt unsafe because it was hard to distance. There were two of us visiting, in a fairly small room. She didn’t have a mask and we weren’t given any guidance. We know that we need to distance etc but there will be lots of visitors visiting different residents and I think it’s a good idea to issue some guidance to all visitors for consistency. I think it would have felt safer if there was a designated visit room with protective measures such as cleaning, distancing, PPE for her etc.