Covid: Care home manager shares heartfelt concerns as Omicron variant could halt family visits
A care home manager has voiced his concerns about the potential change to the sector’s Covid regulations as the Omicron variant continues to spread.
The latest Welsh Government Covid review saw no major changes to regulations in Wales, but with a sharp rise in the new variant, care homes are desperate for answers.
With Care Forum Wales also warning that care homes could be forced to close their doors to visitors in the “race against time” to vaccinate the population, many working in the sector are concerned.
Mike Kemp, a manager at College Fields Nursing home in Barry, told ITV Wales he was worried about the impact further restrictions could have on his residents.
He said: “Our residents’ wellbeing and health could be affected if they couldn’t have visitors. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that, so we’re really going to make it work.”
Whilst Mr Kemp understands the seriousness of the new variant, especially to the elderly, he said: “We want desperately to keep them safe but it’s keeping them safe from the virus and then killing them because they can’t have a fulfilled life, and that’s something that we’re very worried about.”
One resident also shared her worry over potential restrictions on the care sector.
Having been at the nursing home for around a year, Gail Daniell is used to having a visit from her husband twice a week.
In a tearful interview, she described having visitors as "very, very, important" and said she "wouldn't know what to do" if her husband was stopped from coming to see her.
When asked how she'd feel should visiting at care homes be put on hold for a period, she answered: “Horrendous, I’m dreading it if that’s true, dreading it...
"I always have a cry when my husband goes, I love him so much and we’ve been separated for a year now.”
Since visitors were allowed back to care homes in Wales, staff at College Fields Nursing home say they saw a huge difference in the residents' morale.
Mandy Good, a carer at the home in Barry, said: "They’ve just been happy when their family have been. They talk more, they appreciate things more, they’re just more happy and everyday for them is better when their family comes to see them.
As the Christmas period draws closer, she said the prospect of residents not being able to have visitors is "demolishing".
She added: "We’re here and we do what we can for them and we do our best but family is just everything."
In the latest coronavirus briefing, Health minister Eluned Morgan said the Welsh Government did not want to cancel Christmas.
“The last thing we want to do is cancel Christmas, I think it is important we make that absolutely clear," she said.
"But we are not currently taking anything off the table either, so the best thing for people to do, in order to see if we can remain in a situation where we are all able to see each other over Christmas, is to take precautions now, so that we don’t see the kind of increasing rates that we are all expecting."
The announcement comes at a time where new guidance has been announced for Care Homes in Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon announced that visits should be limited to two households, with all visitors asked to take a coronavirus test before attending.
Coronavirus regulations in Wales currently remain unchanged for care home settings.
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