Visiting care home with cold

[user163296648]

I've come down with a heavy cold or flu overnight, achey limbs, headache, upset stomach etc. I'm meant to fly home tomorrow and visit dad in care home over christmas. Would you go? I think I shouldn't go, my sister says go. Am I being over cautious?

As someone who works at one, on the medical side, please don't.

You will literally be surrounded by vulnerable elderly, and things like viruses and colds spread like wildfire.

If you feel you need to see him before you go, speak to the home manager, ask their advice, and hopefully they will also advise against.

Norovirus is rife at the moment, and it really is a nightmare in a place like a care home, even with barriers in place to avoid it spreading between floors.

Definitely not with anything fluey/achey/digestive. That's not a light sniffle - could be flu or covid, or one of the more serious cold viruses.

If you're here over Christmas you don't have to go the moment you land - wait until your symptoms have cleared.

Go and wear a mask

Stay at home!

Definitely stay away.

No
Most of them have signs at the entrance saying please don't come in if you're feeling unwell

Stay home. Your sister is wrong.

My mother is in a care home and they ask you not to visit if you have a cold or similar ailment.

No definitely not.

Thanks all, I think that's pretty clear. I'll get moaned at for not "bothering" to visit dad and he'll be upset I'm not there, but I'll stick to my guns.

I feel guilty for upsetting him but it would be wrong to risk making him and others ill. I like the idea of calling the care home then I can tell sis that I was asked not to visit.

Can they facilitate a video call with you, I'm not sure if you do this anyway but if not it might be a bit of a halfway thing so you can see each other still

It's not that you're "not bothering" to visit, it's that you have an illness that could have a serious impact on your dad, the other residents and the staff working in the nursing home. So you're doing the right thing by being protective and not risking anything.

Are you home for long - can you wait until you're feeling better?

And you have the flight first ... Think about the people sitting next to you ( unless you mask up ) - And agree dont go to the care home as what maybe light for you maybe worse for someone else ! Can you postopne for a week and go afterwards?

@Baileysandcream well yes but some people like to pick faults with everything others do...

Unfortunately my ticket back is on Boxing Day so I don't think i'll be over it by then.

@Rosa I feel quite ill tbh and I don't want to travel, not that anyone in my family has even asked how I am. Grr! I'll see if I can go after new year.

Please don't visit a care home when you are unwell like that.

Please don’t go on the flight or to the care home

My mums nursing home has a sign up asking if you be unwell at all to please no visit. It is hard, but it is to keep everyone safe xx

hope you feels better soon x

I wouldn’t travel at all if you feel that unwell. Rest up and arrange to see everyone in the new year.

You're making the right decision. And I hope you're feeling better very soon.

However please don't take what your sister is saying to heart. I imagine she's frustrated that you're unable to visit Dad which presumably is not something you're able to do often.

It's a shame you're a flight away. But try to understand her perspective. Does she live near Dad meaning is able to visit more frequently than you are?

You can't help being poorly, it's just really unfortunate timing which is such a shame.

I wouldn't travel either if you're feeling so unwell, it'll just make you feel worse. Is there any chance you can postpone your trip and rest up?

@Gazelda no she visits about as often as me. She just wants me there because he doesn't want to be in a care home (dementia, he can't understand why he's there) and will complain non-stop so it's understandable she wants someome else there. But I'm not going to make him - or her - ill to do so.

@Baileysandcream yes I'll try and go after new year's. It's not a long flight, I could have got the train but the ticket prices were ridiculous.

Do not! Arrange to facetime.

Dementia is so sad, isn't it.

Don't feel bad about not going. It's the right decision.