A Harrogate care home resident, who turns 105-years-old this week, has celebrated by opening visiting pods.
Molly Robinson lives at The Gatehouse Residential Care Home and was guest of honour at today’s unveiling.
The care home has previously only been able to allow video calls and window visits, so it has seen plenty of demand for the pods.
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Care home manager Adam Carling told the Stray Ferret:
“This allows us to have those visits in person again. The impact on wellbeing is what we need.
“It’s lovely and warm, comfortable and accessible. It is easy to have those meaningful conversations in here.”
When asked what Molly’s secret was to a long life, she said: “I’m not telling him.”
Care homes in the Harrogate district have installed visiting pods so residents can meet relatives safely.
Vida Healthcare has opened three ‘together again’ pods to enable visits to continue over winter. One is at Vida Hall in Starbeck and two are at Vida Grange in Pannal.
Current guidance allows for one designated visitor per pod. But if one relative cannot attend another person can visit instead using the pod.
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The pod enables Anne Thompson to see her husband, who has been at Vida Hall since 2015. She said:
“The staff at Vida have been wonderful in allowing us to keep up with the daily lives of our loved ones, however it’s been stressful not being able to visit in person.
“Seeing our loved ones is really important to us and it’s comforting to know that you’ve set up these pods to give us safe opportunities to come and visit.”
One of the pods at Vida Grange.
Bernadette Mossman, the healthcare director at Vida Healthcare, said:
“Visiting relatives in care homes is a fundamental need for families and residents. The pandemic has reduced our ability to be able to facilitate this much needed interaction.
“Our brand new ‘together again’ visiting pods are one example of innovations we’re implementing to ensure our residents can safely connect with their loved ones.”
Guidance on care home visits
Care home visits will continue in North Yorkshire despite the country entering a second national lockdown.
The county council restricted visits during October but advised homes they could relax the rules in November to allow one designated visitor for each resident.
Officials have said the measure will continue through lockdown, but homes that report an outbreak will have to restrict visits.