Hi kellyr yes agree with you , I foresee many homes being even more restricted once gardens not viable. You could check that yr home is following local public health policy re visiting. Had to wait til 4.30 today to get email from home saying green light for visits this week from local council. Yr mum is entitled to a care needs assessment from social care whether self funding or not. This just means they'll do assessment to check she has right placement currently that meets her needs, but if that's ok they then close case until anything changes in future. Maybe ring and have chat ? It's bit pot luck as who get talk to. Good luck.
Has the new guidance on visiting care homes actually lifted visiting restrictions at all?
- Thread starter granny shoe
- Start date
One window visit or garden visit per week at my Mum's home and I have not seen her properly one to one since mid March. The window visit is lovely but Mum is starting to show signs of finding this all to be too much now and we had a few tears this Saturday when I saw her. I always spent Saturday with her every week it was our day and we enjoyed the time together both in her room one to one and also in the Lounge with the others who I got to know so very well too. I do totally appreciate what time we do have through the window and I also totally appreciate we need to keep them safe but the mental wellbeing of our loved ones must come into it and I hope and pray we can soon all get to spend the time with our family. I would be happy to do all that was required for a key worker visit and as a shielded person myself who is hardly going anywhere at all I would be happy to visit her in her room with full ppe just to be closer to her at long last.
Glad you got the go ahead for your visit! I will try and talk to someone re an assesment. I seem to be calling so many organisations at the moment my head is spinning...!
Hi yes it is really upsetting, just hope that homes will be able to keep open , sadly think Birmingham has closed homes on news again. Good luck.
Hi miniminx55 it seems wrong that care staff can come and go without social distancing outside the home, but pple like us who are being careful cant wear ppe and get closer to our loved ones. I used to spend Saturdays at my Mums home too, and was able to do things for her I cant do now. It feels like we will never get that quality time again and its so tough. We just have to try and stay strong..
I dont know if this affects care homes at all, but government guidelines for home care seem to have been been made more stringent, not less
All during the lockdown the carers came to out house to help OH wash and dress in mask, gloves and plastic pinny, but now they have to wear a face shield/goggles as well as the mask. I was surprised, but was told this is the new government guidelines.
All during the lockdown the carers came to out house to help OH wash and dress in mask, gloves and plastic pinny, but now they have to wear a face shield/goggles as well as the mask. I was surprised, but was told this is the new government guidelines.
The latest we had from my mother's care home was that when they open up for visits only one designated person can visit. So no going with other relations and no taking it in turns to visit. That won't affect me as I'm the only person who regularly visits, but I know many residents in mum's home often had quite large parties visiting. How do you chose which member of a family to be the visitor.
Hi yes in Wolves area, it's one designated visitor only no others . Has to be in garden and new email today states absolutely noone inside the home at all even to talk to staff in entrance hall, which I had to do yesterday as wanted info on mums declining health which I managed to get some answers to. In last 5 months has become incontinent , from being fully continent. Can only weigtbear and walk 2 or 3 paces so in wheelchair all time , from being fully mobile. Needs support eating and drinking, otherwise can't manage, used to feed herself no issues. Refuses all medications and has become very resistant at times to staff. Now tell me, would you be angry if everyone you rang and asked how she is you've been told ,she's fine , not been given any updates from the home on her general health or changes ? I've been trying to contact social care since visit last week as could see she was very closed down but when rang back after visit was told she's ok ! having had all this update yesterday I feel bit in shock. Still can't get social care to reply yet to Tel or emails.
Louie16 this must be so distressing for you and I really hope any pray you get some support from social care. I wish I could think of another solution. I felt if I called in they would say my mum was fine even if not, as they probably feel theres no point upsetting relatives but on the other hand, transparency is very important. Theres a complete lack of that at mums home and thats what makes this situation intolerable. Had no voluntary updates from home since the start of this so youre not alone. Its so hard but most important thing is to try and stay calm as damaging our own health is not going to help matters. Keeping my fingers crossed for you take care x
Thankyou that's really kind. Interesting that yr home hasn't given updates either. What I find hard is that issues like these would be grounds for formal complaints in normal times and treating elderly in homes in this way would be psychological neglect and deprivation of liberties. So this has all been thrown out the window. Good luck also.
Keep fingers crossed that Alz Society's proposals for relatives being treated as key workers, gets approved. Its our only hope I think..
Are you aware of the 'More than just a visitor' policy within some care homes @Kellyr? Some family members are being designated as ‘Essential Family Carers’ and being allowed into homes, providing they are tested weekly. The government has given care homes the responsibility to manage their own visiting policies so if some care homes can adopt this policy then there’s no reason why others can’t do something similar, dependant on their individual risk assessments. Details here:
https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/...isiting-latest-mha-good-practice-to-share.php
https://www.mha.org.uk/files/2615/9...itor._A_guide_for_Essential_Family_Carers.pdf
Last edited by a moderator:
My mum's in a care home in Birmingham and the care home along with all the other care homes in Birmingham have banned all visits on 14 Aug until further notice because the rate of infection has risen in Birmingham. ..but I say what has closed window visits go to do with it? I used to speak to mum on the phone while she could see me at her ground floor flat window.
Hi, I have just posted in the "Middle-Later care " section on Newman's " care home visiting" thread about an update I had seen from Welsh government allowing indoor visits, 1, possibly 2 visitors from the same household, or 1 visitor with another person as deputy, if the visitor was ill/ away etc.
I found guidance a bit confusing, but am hoping England will put something out about indoor visits as its getting too cold for garden/ window visits I feel.
I found guidance a bit confusing, but am hoping England will put something out about indoor visits as its getting too cold for garden/ window visits I feel.
I've had a letter from the CEO of the company that runs mum's care home. Local restrictions willing visits inside in specially designated areas will be allowed from the 14th September. These will be for the same person each time. There will be slightly more relaxed visiting allowed in the garden, but I guess as we move into autumn and winter that won't be possible very often.
I'll be contacting mum's home next week to see what it means for them. By the time I do see mum it'll be more than six months since our last visit.
I'll be contacting mum's home next week to see what it means for them. By the time I do see mum it'll be more than six months since our last visit.
That's such a long time to go without a visit @Sarasa .
I won't have seen mum for 4 months , when I next go up to visit. I am also scared that the home will say 1 constant visitor (as current new guidelines ), whereas before the guidelines came out the home allowed 2 people . My sister would have to be this constant visitor as she is local. I will be so upset if I can't see mum and if they do allow a deputy (as Wales potentially are ), I would be saying my sister is away that week and I'm going in her place!!
I won't have seen mum for 4 months , when I next go up to visit. I am also scared that the home will say 1 constant visitor (as current new guidelines ), whereas before the guidelines came out the home allowed 2 people . My sister would have to be this constant visitor as she is local. I will be so upset if I can't see mum and if they do allow a deputy (as Wales potentially are ), I would be saying my sister is away that week and I'm going in her place!!
I miss holding my mum hands more than ever especially with what's happening with my dad health going down hill feel so alone just like to be able to give my mum a hug instead of the 2m rule outside visits at the moment just pray one day everything be over as the pain of loinless is getting worse for me everyday
Me too... I know exactly how you feel. Its so ridiculous we cant even hug with ppe on. I do wonder if all these restrictions are even legal. Try to stay strong.. take care
It's all just so cruel, our loved ones needs aren't being addressed.
I've just signed a petition that's on a Facebook page called Rights for Residents.
The organisers are working tirelessly to bring attention to the problem.
Ive emailed my GP, my mum's, and Matt Hancock and Helen Whately the Health and Social care minister.
I don't expect that they'll do anything. But if anyone is on Facebook please search for Rights for Residents and sign the petition
I've just signed a petition that's on a Facebook page called Rights for Residents.
The organisers are working tirelessly to bring attention to the problem.
Ive emailed my GP, my mum's, and Matt Hancock and Helen Whately the Health and Social care minister.
I don't expect that they'll do anything. But if anyone is on Facebook please search for Rights for Residents and sign the petition
Last edited by a moderator:
