Visiting is a central part of care home life. It is crucially important for maintaining the health, wellbeing and quality of life of residents. Visiting is also vital for family and friends to maintain contact and life-long relationships with their loved ones and contribute to their support and care.
This guidance sets out the government’s advice to support safe visiting:
every care home resident can nominate up to 2 named visitors who will be able to enter the care home for regular visits (and will be able to visit together or separately as preferred). These visitors should be tested using rapid lateral flow tests before every visit, must wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow all other infection control measures (which the care home will guide them on) during visits. Visitors and residents are advised to keep physical contact to a minimum. Visitors and residents may wish to hold hands, but should bear in mind that any physical contact increases the risk of transmission. For this reason there should not be close physical contact such as hugging
in addition to their 2 named visitors, residents with higher care needs can also choose to nominate an essential care giver
care homes can also continue to offer visits to other friends or family members through arrangements such as outdoor visiting, rooms with substantial screens, visiting pods, or from behind windows
For more detailed information read the official guidance from the gov.uk website.
The named visitors will need to follow some important steps to reduce the risk of infection to the person they are visiting and to others in the care home.
1. Take a rapid lateral flow test
The named visitors will need to take a rapid (lateral flow) test every time they visit. If the result is negative, the visit can go ahead.
The visitors will do the test when they arrive at the care home.
The care home will provide the test.
2. Wear PPE
Visitors will need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for the duration of these visits:
The care home will provide these.
Visitors should follow all other infection prevention and control measures, such as maintaining social distancing when walking through the home.
If there is an outbreak in a care home the home will have to stop most visiting in order to keep everyone safe.
For more detailed information read the official guidance on the gov.uk website.