Help all hospital visiting from tomorrow due to COVID. Vulnerable FIL

[2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney]

Posting for traffic

We have just heard that the hospital my FIL is in is stopping all visiting from tomorrow. FIL has been in for a month now and deteriorating. MIL and BIL been visiting approx 4 x per week. We have just come back from a visit - we live 6 hours away.
What would help MIL and FIL with not being able to see each other? MIL technology challenged .She has a Samsung tablet but says she can’t video on it. . Neither have a smart phone . He has his laptop but can’t get into it because has forgotten his password.
Happy to purchase anything which will help but thinking about bloody Xmas posting too. What did people do in other “lockdowns “ restrictions like this .

Any ideas anyone?

Title should say All hospital visiting stopping tomorrow at his hospital. This appears to be a local decision not national one.

1. Find out about the measures the hospital has in place for virtual visiting. The hospitals I work at each have different method but the common theme is for a team of volunteers to facilitate video calls or do a daily phonecall.

2. teach your MIL how to video call

Buy 2 smartphones. Basic ones and don't let them put passwords on them. Educate MIL and the hospital will help FIL. If he can use a laptop he'll be ok with help with a phone.

Most hospitals will facilitate virtual visits. Some Local Authorities have similar schemes too- if you’re willing to say what hospital /LA someone might be able to help?

It’s North Yorkshire health authority

The wards to might have an iPad to lend for video calls. You'll have to teach MIL how to use her tablet or smartphone

Hospitals are incredibly worried about Covid spread for both their very vulnerable patients but also because staffing is critical already.
It's horribly difficult, but the nurses will help facilitate virtual contact.

Is fil expected to survive? If he is deteriorating and they have confirmed that he won't survive would a hospice be able to take him so your mil can be with him?

So for your FIL I’d call the ward and ask if someone can facilitate a video call.

For your MIL, in my LA they can provide elderly people isolated by covid with special “simple” tablets to call people on. I don’t know if North Yorks has a similar scheme but these people might know, or a volunteer responder could go round and help her either get her tech working or let her use another device for the call.
www.northyorks.gov.uk/help-you-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Failing that, does she have any neighbours she could ask to help her set up the tablet, or even could you call a local vicar and ask for help?

Last year with restrictions on visiting all our wards were provided with tablets that had facetime which we used to support family contact. Bizarrely I found it quite emotionally hard when having to end these calls due to the timeslots in place.

Sorry op, that was more of a random ramble than anything useful!