UK care homes still stopping family reunions months after Covid rules eased

Two and a half years after Boris Johnson announced the first UK lockdown, and seven months after the last domestic measures ended, some care homes in Britain are still denying people access to their elderly relatives due to Covid restrictions.

Grandchildren have been banned by some homes, which put age limits on visitors. Others exclude whole families except for one relative named as “essential caregiver”, something that was dropped from government guidance in April.

Support groups the Relatives & Residents Association (R&RA), and Rights for Residents also said there were homes not allowing people to see their parents, husbands or wives in their rooms, instead insisting that the visits take place in pods outside.

And some only allow limited timed-visiting slots. About 70% of older care home residents have dementia and often find it distressing to be moved, only settling by the end of the slot.

Campaigners have been calling for action to protect care home residents since the first lockdown, because relatives are often best able to help. Research from John’s Campaign shows that people who know someone with dementia are much better at interpreting their behaviour and giving comfort.

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Source: The Guardian, 25 September 2022

You may also be interested to read these two original blogs posted on the hub:

• Visiting restrictions and the impact on patients and their families: a relative's perspective
• It’s time to rename the ‘visitor’: reflections from a relative