The TLC Care family are delighted to be in a position to welcome the friends and families of the residents back into our homes. We recognise that beginning to open our doors brings a risk of infection, which is why our teams continually work to support the TLC team, residents and their loved ones to create a safe environment, in alignment with government guidelines.
Visiting Arrangements
- Each resident is able to have five named visitors who are welcome to enter the home for regular visits in the bedroom of the resident and communal garden
- Residents can have a maximum of two visitors at any one time or over the course of one day. (this numeral limit does not apply to very young children – i.e. babies and pre-school aged children.)
- All visits will need to follow the current booking system; and any ad hoc or unannounced visits will not be able to take place
- The five named visitors are asked to arrive 30 minutes before their visiting time, to carry out a lateral flow test before every visit
- Each nominated visitor must wear the appropriate personal protective equipment and follow all infection control measures, as advised by the team at the home
Window and screen visits
- Other friends and family members will continue to be offered visits via window visits, pods and in areas with glass partitions.
- Guidance in relation to window and screen visits will remain the same.
Essential Care Givers
For some residents, a visit with a greater degree of personal care, may benefit their immediate health and wellbeing. The essential care will be included as one of the 5 named visitors and a risk assessment will be completed by the care home on a case-by-case basis considering individual circumstances.
Exceptional Circumstances
Visits in exceptional circumstances such as end of life will always be supported and enabled. Families and residents will be supported to plan end of life visiting carefully.
What You Need to Know Prior to Your Visit
Lateral Flow Testing Kits
Testing is one way of minimising the risk of visiting a care home. If a visitor has a negative test, is wearing appropriate PPE, and following other infection control measures then it may be possible for visitors to have a more meaningful interaction with their relative.
Prior to the visit, the nominated visitor will be tested using Lateral Flow Device test to ensure that they are Covid negative. The nominated visitor may also present a result from the self-testing programme, taken on the same day of the visit.
Where the nominated visitor requires an LFD Test to be completed within the home, they must attend the home half an hour prior to the visit. The nominated visitor will be required to wait in the waiting area or own car until the test analysis is completed and the designated team member confirms the result.
Self-testing visitors must report their results onto the governments website using the care home’s unique organisation number (UON). This will be supplied by the care home.
Visitors who wish to take advantage of self-testing, will need to carry out their first test with supervision from our home manager to ensure they are confident conducting the tests at home and they are being completed and reported satisfactorily. Once this process is done a disclaimer will need to be signed to evidence that this supervision has taken place.
If the result is negative, the relative will be supported to wear appropriate PPE and will be escorted to the visiting area where they can visit their loved ones safely for a duration of one hour.
Relatives are advised to follow the PPE guidelines as instructed by the home and to maintain social distancing.
Any potential visitor who tests positive will not be permitted into the home or to carry out a visit. They will be required to immediately leave the premises and self-isolate. Your household contacts may also be required to self-isolate in line with government guidance.
Ventilation
Visits will take place in a well-ventilated room, for example with windows and doors open where possible and is safe to do so.
Visiting Residents Whilst Wearing PPE
Visitors should be aware that some residents with dementia might struggle at first to remember or recognise the person visiting. Our team members will prepare your relative for the visit, by looking at photographs and talking to them about your relationship.
This information is accurate as of 2nd June 2021. For further information, please contact the Care Home directly.
