Visiting - New lockdown in England

Jenlem

New member
Oct 31, 2020
3
0
Can anyone please help me make sense of the new lockdown rules?
Mother-in-law is full time carer to Father-in-law with mid-stage Alzheimer's. She has very little relief as she struggled to get him to accept visiting carers and had only just started introducing this before the first lockdown. We (the only family nearby) normally visit, provide respite/relief and support.
We can't bubble up because we are a 2 parent family with children and they are counted as 2 adults, although he no longer has capacity as an 'adult' and she has to be on duty constantly.
As I understand, we now won't be able to visit the house or garden at all. She will not be able to meet up with anyone e.g. in a park, because she can't leave him alone and he would have to go too, which would break the rule of only one individual from each household.

I can see the exceptions (reasons to go out) include caring for someone. Would this cover myself or my husband visiting to support them? E.g. watching him or sitting with him by the TV in order to let her get things done around the house? I am so aware that she has no time to herself and no relief. The rules recognise the impact on people who live alone and single parents with children, but I feel a carer who lives with their spouse with fairly well advanced Alzheimer's is in an equally difficult and isolated situation but prevented unfairly from forming a bubble.

Anyone able to cast light on what I am/am not allowed to do please?
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,450
0
Kent
Hello @Jenlem Welcome to Dementia Talking Point

I`m sure you`d be able to help provide care for your father in law especially if there are no paid carers attending to him. It would probably be safer for your inlaws to have you visit rather than carers who will be attending to many others.

You will not be having social gatherings with your inlaws, you will be providing eassential care.

It`s all about common sense and observation of stringent rules of hygiene.
 

Jenlem

New member
Oct 31, 2020
3
0
Hello @Jenlem Welcome to Dementia Talking Point

I`m sure you`d be able to help provide care for your father in law especially if there are no paid carers attending to him. It would probably be safer for your inlaws to have you visit rather than carers who will be attending to many others.

You will not be having social gatherings with your inlaws, you will be providing eassential care.

It`s all about common sense and observation of stringent rules of hygiene.

Thank you so much. I was hoping someone would say that ?
I think we are still adjusting to seeing the situation as essential care rather than social mixing with our family.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
Details will not be available till after the common's vote on Thursday.
Previous instruments have included the exemption 'to provide care'.

I agree with @Grannie G with clarification that it would be best if it was always the same member of your household that visited.
 

Looseleaf

Registered User
Mar 22, 2020
66
0
Hi Jeniem - yes very similar situation to you except I am the carer with daughter living nearby with 3 toddlers and husband working shifts. Already difficult for her to visit on her own. It is such a slim line between social visit and essential care. I guess the authorities would be sympathetic in our case but I know my daughter /son in law will want to ere on side of caution too. Best wishes.
 

Louise7

Volunteer Host
Mar 25, 2016
4,694
0
Welcome to the forum @ jenlem

The government published details of the new National Restrictions last night, and these state that there is an exemption in order to provide care for vulnerable people:

you must not leave or be outside of your home except for specific purposes. These include:

to provide care for vulnerable people


It’s interesting that the only section of this document that doesn’t include specific details is ‘Visiting relatives in care homes’, which simply states that “Guidance on care home visits will be published ahead of Thursday”:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november
 

MartinWL

Registered User
Jun 12, 2020
2,025
0
67
London
Yes you can visit to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person. This has to be reasonably necessary. Beware two people going when one would be able to provide all the required care alone, that would in my view exceed the threshold of reasonably necessary. But the care and assistance is not defined in previous regulations so can arguably be anything you do for them, make a meal, dusting, laundry, adjust the thermostat, etc.

I intend to continue driving 120 miles weekly to support my father because he really needs the help I provide with all aspects of household management and I am an important component of his care plan.
 

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