Monday 8th March was a very special day for visitors to Speirs House care home with nursing in New Malden. It was the day when, after months in lockdown, family members could visit their loved ones at the care home. What made this day extra special for female residents was that it coincided with International Women’s Day.
Following the government announcement that care home residents in England will be allowed to receive indoor visits from one person from 8 March, families could not wait to see their loved ones and immediately booked their visits.
Although visits via protective screens were allowed in the past few months, all face-to-face visits in care homes were banned since the first national lockdown in March last year when coronavirus swept through care homes. Such restrictions were difficult both for residents, especially those living with dementia, and their families who wanted to experience closeness that protective screens or partition doors did not allow.
Relatives and their loved ones shared much joy and happy tears on being able to see each other in person. Erica Nunn, who visited her mum and dad at the care home, said: “It was just so nice after all the restrictions we all had to live with, to be able to see them properly and hold their hands. That’s one of the things we missed, it is priceless!”
