Facilitating COVID Secure Visits
Creating the future, achieving the balance between emotional and physical harm
Our intention to develop a system that supports as much contact with family and friends as possible whilst maintaining the safety of everyone living and working in our community.
Allowing the doors to be reopened to visitors is all about risk. We know that when social distancing measures are implemented well, the risk of the virus being transmitted is low.
Gradual increase in contact is what will get us back to normal, this is a starting point and we will move from what may feel like very ‘tough rules’
We truly recognise the need for families to experience quality time and create meaningful connections and create lasting memories. This is part of our road map to get the important moments back in all our lives
Tier System
The government have announced that care home visits can go ahead regardless of the COVID Tier system of the area.
Visiting Care Homes during COVID 19 – updated 01/12/2020
‘All care homes – regardless of Tier – and except in the event of an active outbreak – should seek to enable:
• indoor visits where the visitor has been tested and returned a negative result
• outdoor visiting and ‘screened’ visits
Visits in exceptional circumstances including end of life should always be enabled
In all cases it is essential that visiting happens within a wider care home environment of robust Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures, including ensuring that visitors follow (and are supported to follow) good practice with social distancing, hand hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use.
In the event of an outbreak in a care home, the home should immediately stop visiting (except in exceptional circumstances such as end of life) to protect vulnerable residents, staff and visitors’
RAINBOW Care
If any person living in the home displays symptoms or SOFT signs of COVID 19 they are supported into RAINBOW care. There is a strict process where direct contact with the person is kept to a minimum and they are not able to socially mix with others living in the home.
If a person is in receipt of RAINBOW care, then visits from relatives/NOK will not be able to go ahead unless the person has been assessed as being on an End-of-Life pathway
End of Life Care
If a person is approaching the end of their life, then family/friend visits will be planned with the home manager. Time restrictions will not apply, and the visits will be led by the needs of the person and their loved ones. Strict infection control practises will apply to reduce the risk of any infections being spread as far as possible
Environment
Garden visits for people living in the home who can access the garden and enjoy accessing the garden. This will only be achievable at this time for the houses that have direct access to a garden space
For those people who cannot leave their bed, or cannot access the outside we intend to resume a safe way in which visits and time with their relative/friend can take place in the private space of their bedroom
Visits cannot take place in any communal areas at this time owing to many people living in the home not being able to understand the concept of social distancing
All visits will require strict infection control measures and precautions, there will be:
• Pre arranged visiting times for each house
• Pre arranged visiting times for each family
• Maximum of two relatives/friend at any one time – the named two people must remain consistent and cannot change on each visit
• If the visits take place internally, they take place in the person’s bedroom unless there are exceptional circumstances that make this not possible
• Entrances are used specific to the house – if there is an opportunity to use fire doors halfway down the hallways or alternate entrances to the home to ensure quicker access to the person’s bedroom this will be identified post all ‘physical control’ measures being completed at the entrance. If an alternative entrance is identified, then a disinfection mat would be placed at the entrance
• If the visits take place in the garden, then all measure outlined will be followed. If there is direct access to the garden, then post the ‘physical control’ measures and processes being completed the visitor is to be walked around to the direct entrance to the garden
• Visitors should discuss with staff about any items they wish to bring with them on their visit, such as a gift. It will need to be something that can be easily cleaned by the home to prevent cross contamination. For example, a box of chocolates that could be sanitised with wipes
Time Slots
All visits will be prearranged. There will be:
• Two visiting partners per house at any one time
• 30-minute time slots
• Slots will be pre booked and only available on set days for the foreseeable future
• Visits will have a 30 -minute time gap in between [this is to ensure all Infection Control Preventative measures are completed in full pre- and post-the 30 minutes of contact time]
The member of the team supporting the visitor is to wear disposable apron and gloves; changed in between each visitor
