C&C continues to encourage use of pods and gardens for care home visits

Following the Government’s latest announcement on plans for care home visits, we are thrilled with the prospects of the lockdown easing, which will enable residents to increasingly be reunited with loved ones. The safety of our residents and colleagues remains our first priority.

Currently, our residents have been afforded a high degree of protection from the first dose of the vaccine, but a risk remains as all residents/staff are at the moment in the process of awaiting a second dose. In addition, current shielding rules do not end until Wednesday 31 March – and we have both staff and residents who fall under this category.

It is for these reasons that, for the time being, we believe it is in the best interests and their loved ones to open up our homes gradually.

For safety reasons only, we are strongly encouraging visitors to continue their visits via:

1. Our safe pods for 1-2-1 visits

2. Or, with the weather improving, via our gardens.   

We are delighted that we will now be able to allow hand-holding within our pods (via the gap at the end of the screen). Visitors must use the gloves and apron provided.

Indoor visits

Any internal visits, for the reasons outlined above, would not begin until April and likely once residents have received their second vaccine. There may be some exceptional circumstances where visitors would prefer to visit in the home, and we will be risk assessing individual requests to visit a loved one within one of our homes on a case by case basis. Visitors wishing to have internal visits would be required to take both a weekly PCR and LFD test.

We will continue to review our visiting policy in line with the latest guidance and open our homes at the earliest point where it is safe to do so. Visits within our homes for circumstances including where a resident is nearing the end of their life will continue.

Catch up on our other news here.