Care home visiting to resume

News from the Scottish Government that routine indoor visiting of care home residents by relatives, friends and carers will be able to resume from early March has been warmly welcomed and described as a "big step forward" by Age Scotland, the national charity for older people.

Guidelines to support care providers resume visiting will be available on 24 February and residents will be able to have up to two designated visitors each and one visit a week for each visitor.

Age Scotland's chief executive Brian Sloan said:

“It is great news that routine indoor care home visits will soon resume and for many residents and family members it can’t come quick enough. This is a big step forward.

“For the best part of a year residents in care homes have largely been cut off from meaningful contact with loved ones and its impact on their health and wellbeing has been significant. Hearing family members talk of the noticeable deterioration in the condition of their loved one and that they feel they are slipping away before them is heart-breaking.

“Now that the vaccine is showing its effectiveness it is another important layer of protection from Covid-19. And while on its own it is not the panacea, together with the highest standards of infection control, use of PPE and regular, fast testing of people coming into a care home it means the risks are minimised and safer visiting can happen.”