Family of terminally-ill man say new guidelines for care home visits 'don't go far enough'
Video report by ITV News Meridian's Malcolm Shaw
The family of a terminally-ill man from Sussex say the new guidelines on visits to care homes do not go far enough.
Sam Adams, 34, is in the latter stages of Huntington's Disease, which he was diagnosed with eight years ago.
He is now living at Mulberry House in St Leonards-on-Sea and his family have been unable to see him for almost four months.
From March 8, care home residents will be allowed one regular nominated visitor under the government’s plan to ease Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in England.
However, Sam's mother, Ruth Adams, says it could easily and safely be more as Sam has already had Covid-19, and by then both his parents will have been vaccinated.
Mulberry House said it has followed government guidelines throughout the pandemic and has tried to keep families in touch with their loved ones via video calls, but it had to close its doors in December when several residents caught Covid-19.
In a statement it said: "Like the rest of the country, we're thrilled to hear that care home residents are to be allowed one nominated indoor visitor from March 8th and as long as our current outbreak is confirmed as over, we look forward to welcoming visitors to Mulberry House once more."
Nadra Ahmed from the National Care Association said: "I think some of the memories of what we've lived through, have created high levels of anxiety for our staff but I think we absolutely understand the benefits of people being able to see their loved ones, both for the resident and their families."