Families call for risk-assessed visits in care homes saying 'Mum is forgetting who I am'

Families of care home residents are calling for the government to give guidance to care homes on visiting, in the wake of reports that residents with dementia are experiencing cognitive decline and physical deterioration since visits stopped due to the pandemic.

In March, care homes all over the UK took the decision to stop family and friends visiting residents due to the vulnerable and elderly being most of risk of catching COVID-19.

In some care homes, staff even went into lockdown with residents to protect them from the disease. Many care homes have come up with innovative ways so residents can still see their families such as visits through the window, video calls and hosting a drive-thru.

However these kind of visits are not suitable for all kinds of residents and some families are worried that for residents with dementia, the “thread of recognition” that existed before lockdown will now be irretrievably broken. One daughter said: “Bit by bit, Mum is forgetting who I am”.

The Alzheimer’s Society which is backing the calls by families for guidance for care homes on visiting rights, recently carried out a survey of 128 care homes finding 79 per cent have seen a deterioration in the health of their residents with dementia due to lack of social contact.

The charity has highlighted the case of Trevor and Yvonne Saloman.

For 12 weeks, Trevor aged 69, has been unable to visit his wife, Yvonne, aged 64, who has been living in a care home since May 2019.

'People with dementia need familiarity and hugs'

He says: “People living with dementia need routine and stimulation, familiarity and hugs. With the arrival of coronavirus, and as a result of lockdown in her care home, the regular heartbeat of life in the home changed overnight.

“The familiar faces of care home staff, family and friends ceased to appear, and of necessity carers had to hide behind masks and were unable to wrap their arms around the residents."

He is concerned Yvonne has “lost her sparkle" and has “found herself in a world which she doesn’t understand”.

Trevor realises a period of lockdown and measures taken to stop care home visits were necessary, but says “However, if the lockdown continues for many more weeks – and this is quite probable – then I fear that the thread of recognition could perhaps be irreversibly broken between my wife, myself and all our family and friends."

A daughter has also revealed how she hasn’t seen her dad, who is also in a care home for 11 weeks.

She says: “Dad has severe vascular dementia which means that he can’t do anything for himself. The only thing he can do is talk even though very confused. The longer the lockdown goes on the harder it gets for me and my Mum. Mum used to visit Dad six days a week and I would go three days a week when I wasn't at work. I feel without the special one to one with the two of us, Dad is deteriorating very, very quickly.

'I hope he doesn't think we have abandoned him'

“I just hope he doesn't think we have abandoned him as he doesn’t understand why we can’t be with him.

“It’s tearing me apart not seeing dad. He's already on borrowed time and I just want to be with Dad. I feel that as long as we are wearing PPE masks and gloves we should be able to visit Dad as the lockdown eases. I would never put Dad at risk and I would wear anything to be with him.”

The Alzheimer’s Society has also revealed that its Dementia Connect support line is receiving hundreds of calls from relatives of residents in care homes, with stories of people with dementia feeling confused and abandoned by the lack of visits, stopping eating, losing the ability to speak and ‘disappearing’.

Care home staff surveyed by the charity revealed that residents are feeling “isolated” and those in the end stages of dementia are declining at a faster rate than normal.

'Government must put people with dementia at heart of plans to ease lockdown'

Kate Lee, chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Through Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Connect support line, we’ve heard from people up and down the country who are watching on, helpless, as their loved ones in care homes lose their skills and memories at a terrifying rate, despite care home staff doing incredible work with the resources they have.

“The Government must put people with dementia at the heart of plans to ease lockdown and recognise the vital role of social contact so we can avoid further tragedy.

“Lockdown easements and planning continue to be underway for just about every group of people. Government are yet to give any guidance on what happens next in care homes.”

Marion Shoard who campaigns for older people’s rights, would like to see England, Wales and Northern Ireland adopting the same guidance as Scotland which states care homes should permit the visiting of “people with dementia who are distressed” during the lockdown.

Many families want a 'travel corridor' not to Portugal but to their relative's care home

The Relatives and Residents Association is also calling on the government to produce a strategy for unlocking care homes, with a spokesperson saying: “It should provide guidance to care homes on how they might start to relax restrictions on visiting. As a matter of urgency, the strategy should set out where action is needed to protect people whose human rights are at risk.

“For example, older people whose physical or mental health has seriously deteriorated due to lack of familiar support from relatives for crucial care tasks like eating, or where emotional support is needed to relieve distress or anxiety. An individualised approach will be needed, carrying out risk and needs assessments to identify where visits are necessary to protect the person’s rights.

“This would provide much needed hope to the thousands of families separated by the virus. The same energies being put into opening up schools, shops, pubs, prisons, and air travel should be put into opening up our care homes. The ‘travel corridor’ many families are desperate for lead not to Portugal but to their relative’s care home.”

• The Scottish Government has now said that care homes in Scotland can accept visitors from 3 July and has issued guidance. To read more click here

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