FFS care home visiting restrictions again

[Littlemiss74]

News tonight care home visiting restrictions coming back limiting to 3 visitors plus one essential caregiver. My mum is essential caregiver status for my dad. That leaves us 4 children, so how do we pick which one of us can’t visit my Dad over christmas…?
We were all going to go next weekend and have a little Christmas gathering with my lovely Dad & now we can’t. Seeing his grandchildren may have brought him a little joy, in what is now a very joyless life for him. He always loved family gatherings. He won’t be seeing them now.

Feeling really sad now tonight, when will this crap ever end.😢

That's very sad @Littlemiss74 . Is this new government rules, or specific to your family members care home ? Would you be allowed to visit on separate occasions?

It's crap isn't it.

@shinynewapple21 its in tomorrow’s newspapers & online so I think it’s from the government. What happened before was that they allowed 5 named people who could visit at any time but looks like it’s going down to 3 so one of us will not be able to see my Dad. I miss him so much. It’s bad enough him being in a care home, the restrictions make it even worse. We just want to be with him as a family😢

Its not ideal but I guess they have to do something whilst they wait for more data.

That's very sad for your family . Does your dad's home have one of those visiting rooms with a partition across ? I know it's not the same but better than not seeing you at all?

I hadn't seen the news, will go and look now. My mum is in a care home but there's only me visits really, I have a brother but he's not local .

Is your dad allowed out? Wondering if you can take him where you can all meet ?

I'm sorry, this is awful for you. I do get why they have to restrict, but It would be nice if they could find a way to get you all a visit. People in care homes need protection but they are having an awful time during this pandemic.

Our family share your despair @Littlemiss74 as we face the same situation with DSS who has learning disabilities and lives in a care home. His home made it 2 ppl and wider family (inc DH and I) didn’t see him for about 9 months. We couldn’t spend last Christmas with him either due to rapidly rising cases etc. We were planning a surprise mini Xmas for him but that won’t happen now x

I think right now they should be protecting care homes. Omicron could be devastating if it gets into a home of elderly and vulnerable people.
Restricting but not banning visitors temporarily is a very good idea.

That's so heartbreaking, the management of care homes' response to covid has been absolutely criminal from the government. There is nothing to suggest that omicron is more of a risk than delta and its actually scary how little autonomy residents have for making decisions about who they see. Seems more like a bloody prison.

Would they let you/ could he go out for a walk eg in a wheelchair wrapped up warm?

Our hospital has had a 1 named visitor policy throughout which has been very hard on families (and on staff having to enforce it). We have allowed people to meet outside instead. They are supposed to distance but what I can't see I can't control and I am sure they don't

It is really rough on staff this stuff. It's the devil and the deep blue sea. I had no desire at all to eg prevent a lady from seeing her son from the US for possibly the last time but equally if we do have an outbreak then it's likely people will die (they did the last time) and staff will be blamed for ' allowing it in' (we were blamed the last time)

The problem is that peoples views vary and whilst some families would think that it's worth taking a risk for quality of life (I think that) others do not want any risks taken and life preserved at all costs. If one family take a risk then it exposes everyone to that risk without their consent.

This is just awful!

The Alzheimer's society in the US released the figure that there were 52% excess deaths from Alzheimers and dementia last year. Isolation and loneliness are the probable causes. Horrible and inhumane, in my opinion, and yes, I have been through the terrible and protracted end of life of both my beloved parents.

www.alzheimers.org.uk/news/2020-06-05/ons-report-shows-52-increase-excess-deaths-people-dying-dementia-alzheimers-society