Coronavirus: Care homes use screens to bring loved ones together in safe family rooms

Coronavirus-safe family visiting rooms have been created in five care homes to let families see their loved ones during lockdown.

A ground-floor bedroom at care homes in and around Yorkshire has been divided down the middle by an airtight Perspex screen that allows families to see each other and talk.

Care home provider Yorkare Homes created a family room at each of its five care homes with an intercom system.

Each family room has an external door leading out to the car park for visiting families to use. On the other side, of the screen, sits a resident near a door leading into the care home.

Tearful Tom calls it 'absolutely smashing'

A trial day of a family room took place at Westfield Park care home.

Tom Theaker was one of the first residents to trial the new room at Westfield Park and he admitted to getting a bit tearful when he first saw his daughter Carol.

Tom said ‘It’s absolutely smashing, very clever work!”.

His daughter Carol said: “This is a brilliant idea.

"It has really made my day being able to see my dad again."

Safety measures put in place include alcohol gel stations, 'thorough cleaning' between each family visit, a safety guide for visitors and a timetable with time set aside between appointment slots to help maintain social distancing.

Pat Hearn visited her father Les, said: "What a great job they have done at Westfield Park with the visitors' room and what a great idea it is.

"Have been today to see my dad, he felt better seeing us and we loved seeing him looking so well. With first class precautions in place, he was safe and so were we. Well done to everyone concerned and thank you so much."

'Helps us all come back together'

Yorkare Homes cares for 350 residents at five care homes and family rooms have been created at Westfield Park care home in Goole, Beverley Parklands care home in Beverly, Lindsey Hall care home in Cleethorpes, Magdalen Park care home in Hull and Tranby Park care home in Hessle.

Three out of five of its care homes have been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.

Jonathan Garton, operations director, said Yorkare Homes, said the family room "gave the residents a big boost".

"In order to help maintain our residents mental well-being we have created visiting rooms within our Homes, which are completely safe for our staff and residents and also for visiting loved ones too.

"Our teams have been amazing at keeping our residents spirits high throughout this period but our residents are missing visits from their family over the last 10 weeks, and hopefully we have come up with the solution."

Mike Browne, who visited his father David, said: “They are all doing a fantastic job, we would be lost without them and what a brilliant idea this room is it helps us all to come back together”.

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