Marshland residents stay connected with socially-distanced visiting room
A Marshland St James care home has opened a new socially-distanced visiting room so residents can continue to spend time with loved ones during the autumn and winter months.
Residents at Hickathrift House are overjoyed at the addition from Barchester Healthcare, who have already ensured there is space for outdoor visiting at the care home.
Paula Colman, general manager at the home, said: “The designated visiting room has been a much welcomed development for our residents at Hickathrift House to continue to receive much looked forward to visits from their loved ones, as the weather changes.
"Alongside the continued offer of outdoor visiting, the designated room visits are well organised, and a lot of safety measures have been put in place to keep everyone safe."
She added: "It was wonderful to see how happy it made the residents and their relatives in a warm and cosy environment.”
Balancing resident wellbeing and safety is a priority for Barchester Healthcare, and the team understand how important it is for residents and their family and friends to be able to spend time together in the safest way possible.
The visiting room has been designed with both comfort and safety in mind, with access available internally for residents and externally for visitors. It provides a welcoming and warm environment for residents to continue to spend time with their loved ones in the upcoming months.
Featuring an intercom system, residents can clearly communicate whilst being able to see their friends and family through a Perspex glass divider fitted for safety to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Staff at Hickathrift House have infection control protocols and social distancing measures in place for every visit, including a hand sanitizer station before entry. Cleaning at Hickathrift House care home also takes place after each visit to ensure all surfaces are wiped down appropriately.
Families of residents at the care home have said they are happy to accept the unusual arrangements if it means being able to see their loved ones while keeping them safe. Barchester Healthcare hope to allow visits again as normal once it is safe to do so following government guidance.
