Mumsnet users share how they have been reuniting with their family with McCarthy & Stone

[YanaMumsnet]

This sponsored discussion is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took part.

For many of us, not spending quality time with our families and loved ones was one of the most difficult things to accept during lockdown. With social distancing measures easing, we can now spend some precious moments with our families, even if a few metres apart. From a barbecue in the garden, to virtual birthday parties for those still shielding, most of us have a story of reconnecting with family and loved ones during these challenging times.

With that in mind, McCarthy & Stone Retirement Homes want to hear more about your story of reuniting with your family and loved ones during lockdown and beyond.

Here’s what they have to say: “A McCarthy & Stone apartment provides much more than a lovely home. It gives access to a vibrant, caring and supportive community of friends and neighbours, and as recent events have shown, nothing is more important.
We couldn’t be prouder of the way our homeowners have stepped up to support each other during this challenging period.
We recently surveyed 95 friends and family of McCarthy & Stone homeowners. Of those who gave an opinion 86% of people felt their friends/family were safe or extremely safe.
The already strong community spirit has flourished. Despite the restrictions, we’ve seen our homeowners adapt to new ways of socialising, with everything from exercise classes to gin nights — as well as innovative ways to celebrate things like anniversaries, birthdays and VE day. Meanwhile 400 of our staff volunteered to help with shopping and other essentials in our Buddy scheme. As a result we’ve been inundated with moving messages of thanks.

So we are asking you how have you reunited, or are planning to reunite with your family? What about reuniting with family members who might live in retirement homes? How have you been taking care of your older loved ones and how are you supporting them through the lockdown? What are your tips for staying connected to your loved ones while apart? Any funny stories of family reunions you want to share?

Whatever your story with your family reunions during lockdown, post on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for a store (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ
Insight Terms and Conditions apply

My parents have just had their 50th wedding anniversary. In order to reunite safely, we put up a mini marquee in their garden and had caterers in! It wasn't the big party with all the family that they had planned, but just family. It was so special.
During lockdown, we would drive and take groceries to them as they were shielding. We would deliver groceries to a box outside their door, and they would leave everything dry in there for a day or two, and wipe everything else. My children really really struggled not cuddling them. That was so hard.

We are still cautious - only started face to face meetings with grandparents very recently after months of phone calls and zoom calls. It has been lovely, but no hugs quite yet 😪

We've had PIL come over and spend time with us in the garden and we've met my DM in the park for a walk with the dogs.

It started with meeting a family member at the park to walk our dogs. Then as the lockdown down restrictions were eased we had contact in our gardens, now we are seeing each other at our homes with the 2 metre distance.

Seen my elderly relative for the first time since Covid last week.

I spent the day with them in their house, I didn't really take too many precautions apart from washing hands frequently, keeping windows and doors open, and not standing/sitting too close (large house so fairly easy to do this).

Would like to take them to a cafe or similar, but feel the risk out-ways the benefits at the moment.

We have met up with my parents a couple of times, but try to restrict distances still and do it outdoors whenever possible. Going to make the most of it over the holidays as when the DC start back at school, I'll be more reluctant to see them as often.

Hi McCarthy and Stone - the hot water boilers you’ve put in my retirement flats where my parents live are utterly sub standard and you’ve said it’s nothing to do with you - that’s not very “lovely”.

It’d be great if you would reply to their complaints and actually do something to help the residents. Your company has been shocking.

We had a drive to a picnic area in the peak District and took a lovely traditional picnic complete with cocktail sausages and egg sandwiches and enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air for an hour before we all needed the loo and had to head home

My husband and I were discussing this yesterday, in the light of suggestions that over 50s could be asked to stay at home next winter.

We both agreed our double carport could quite easily be made into a comfortable visitor's suite, with separate entrances and a clear screen built down the middle to ensure complete visibility but no risk for distanced socialising. Surfaces to be easy to wipe down and 72 hours between visitors.

We've been embracing technology over the lockdown - I hadn't heard of zoom before! So we've used zoom to have family meet ups with family from across England whereas normally we would meet up in person. We also have been meeting in gardens and had a few bbqs.

We have visited my husband's parents and just sat in the garden, socially distanced. we took our own coffees too. Very stressful as they are elderly and have health problems.

At the beginning we did a weekly quiz via zoom. Now we meet in the garden (we plan it around when the weather is nice). My children are very loud so my parents can hear them very clearly from the other end of the garden. They also smile and nod enthusiastically when my children bring various objects into the garden to show them, like drawings they have done or Lego creations.

my family are mostly in NZ (I'm in UK) which is now covid free but has a strict quarrantine on entry - so sadly I have no idea when I will be able to see them again.

My husband and daughter have loved taking cakes to eat with my mother in law in the garden of the residential place where she lives. Such a treat for everyone!

We’ve been doing a zoom family quiz.

We have done video chat calls with the grandparents. When things became safer we met in the garden and celebrated my mums 60th birthday.

We have loved reuniting with family & it's really heart-warming to read experiences of others on here too :)
We visited my Mum in Cornwall after not seeing her since Christmas - emotional to say he least!
We still haven't been able to hug my husband's parents as they are both over 70 & FIL is particularly high risk. We did have a socially distanced meet up in their garden & enjoyed dinner together - lovely, but it makes you realise how much the hugs mean when you can't have them!
Thank goodness for technology which has allowed us to stay connected during this time.

We’ve had weekly family quizzes from the start that are so much fun we might just carry on with them when life is back to normal! We’ve FaceTimed and Whatsapped more than ever and built up gradually through drive by chats to socially distanced walks to meeting up in gardens and homes, seeing much more of each other. Still no hugs though.

We’re in local lockdown now, so it’s back to the aimless walks round the busy parks, which seem so much less safe than sitting in our gardens! But at least we can see all the family. They live fairly local, so we count ourselves lucky.

I did find myself stopping DH from cleaning the grandsons’ handprints from our front room window yesterday though. They can stay where they are until we get the boys back here.

We have been introducing family to our newborn :) no hugging but the emotions we have shared have been amazing!

We've been sending cards & pictures to our great grandma in a care home and hope to visit in the garden when it's safe! We also Videocalled our grandparents a lot and sent letters and presents in the post. We have reunited with the grandparents in the garden and been on a few walks with them!

FaceTime in lockdown, garden meet ups and last week stayed over with grandchildren, with lots of distancing and hand washing.

We’ve been meeting up in the garden with family, one household at a time. When it rained we sat in the kitchen with all the Doors and windows open. Thank goodness it’s summer!

Lot's of FaceTime during lockdown then finally met with my mum this week - hadn't seen her since Christmas.
SiL came round yesterday for DD's birthday and we all sat in the garden.

We have been 'meeting up' for socially-distanced picnics in the park! We bring food and blankets and set them a few meters apart os we can still chat and see each other in a wide open space but it's still a safe environment - it's creating fab memories too for the little ones

We reunited with my parents last weekend - we visited them down on the south coast and spent the time going for picnics and taking the kids for walks in the countryside or to out of town parks in small villages where they don't get much use.

After 5 months of not seeing them it was just lovely to actually see their faces again.