Even during this challenging time, it’s still important for nursing home residents to be able to safely leave the home. Whether attending medical appointments, visiting loved ones, or taking a day trip somewhere interesting, getting out and about remains crucial for a resident’s physical and mental health.
With that in mind, we never want our residents to feel like they’re stuck inside. So, as restrictions ease and vaccine coverage increases, we’re taking steps to manage visits carefully — both inside and out.
In this post, we review the government guidance and explain the rules around visiting.
Can My Loved One Leave the Nursing Home for the Day?
The short answer to that is “yes,” and the good news is, in most cases, they won’t have to self-isolate when they return to the home.
However, if your loved one has an overnight stay in hospital or attends a high-risk activity (defined as such by an individual risk assessment), they will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.
What Happens When My Loved One Leaves the Home for the Day?
Depending on the type of visit out of the home, we’ll carry out an assessment to determine the level of risk involved. If we deem a visit out of the home to be too high risk for your loved one or our staff and other residents, we may alter the plans.
If you’re taking your loved one out for the day, we’ll ask that you both observe social distancing and wear a face covering when indoors or on public transport. And, where possible, it’s still recommended that you avoid crowded public areas.
Can My Loved One Leave If There’s a COVID Outbreak in the Home?
If there’s a coronavirus outbreak here at Fulford, any movement out of the home will be restricted. This will last until the outbreak is over (14 days after the last confirmed case).
Related: Should I move my loved one out of a nursing home?
Can I Visit My Loved One in the Care Home?
Yes, you can — but you need to be a named visitor.
Here at Fulford, our visitor policy reflects the government guidelines:
- There’s no limit on the number of named visitors a Fulford resident can have; and
- Every resident can have one nominated “essential caregiver.” This is a visitor who’s allowed to visit even during a COVID outbreak.
How Do I Become a Named Visitor or an Essential Caregiver?
Your loved one is asked who they would like to be recorded as their named visitors, and which named visitor they’d like to be their essential caregiver.
If they’re unable to do this, we can discuss visiting with you directly.
How Does Visiting Fulford Work?
In this post-COVID world, visiting a nursing home is a little less straightforward than it once was. It’s still vitally important that we follow strict measures to slow the spread of the virus, and so, when you visit Fulford, we’ll ask you to:
- Plan ahead and book your visit.
- Produce a negative lateral flow test before entering the nursing home.
- Wear PPE, as directed by the nursing home staff. This typically includes a face mask, apron, and gloves.
- Keep close physical contact (i.e. hugging) to a minimum.
Can I Still Visit Fulford During a Coronavirus Outbreak?
Government guidelines state that all indoor nursing home visits should stop during a coronavirus outbreak.
The only exception is if you’re named as an essential caregiver, which means you can still visit your loved one indoors, provided you both test negative for COVID.
There are also exceptional circumstances where visiting during an outbreak is allowed, such as end-of-life visits.
If You’ve Got Questions About Nursing Home Visits, We Can Help
Are you still a little unsure about taking your loved one out of the home — or visiting them in it?
If you’ve got more questions about the government guidelines or Fulford’s visitor policy, please contact us on 01904 654 269. We’re ready to listen and happy to help.