Visits have resumed at Reigate-based care home Dungate Manor. Greeted by a typically warm Dungate Manor welcome, residents’ first nominated visitors have been reunited with their loved ones inside the home.
New visiting guidance for care homes in England issued by the UK government allows each resident to nominate one designated person to visit indoors weekly. After receiving the guidance, the team at Dungate Manor completed dynamic risk assessments for reintroducing indoor visiting for the home itself as well as individual risk assessments for each resident. This has helped the home form a safe visiting plan tailored to each individual living at Dungate Manor.
Following a negative lateral flow test result, and wearing appropriate PPE, the first designated visitors passed through the home’s doors on Tuesday 9th March. In an emotional reunion, Deborah Pearl met her mother Pamela Turner for the first time in three months. Deborah said: “It was wonderful and emotional to be able to see Mum yesterday. It was so lovely to be able to visit without a table or screen between us. Mum was smiling and looking well!”
“Thank you to all the staff at Dungate for looking after Mum during this difficult time but I believe we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and am looking forward to being able to visit Mum more often.”
Wendy Lacey, another of the home’s first designated visitors, was thrilled to see her mum. Wendy said: “I would like to say a great big thank you to you all for making my visit to my mum so safe and special! From the moment I walked in the door, I was greeted with kindness and made to feel welcome. The Covid test was carried out with speed and efficiency and I was made comfortable while the results were calculated. Thank goodness it was negative!”
“The visit was so lovely and my mum and I laughed the whole time! I was overwhelmed at how well everything went and at how this horrible situation has been made easier by the kindness, compassion and professionalism of all the staff at Dungate Manor. I can never thank you all enough!”
Dungate Manor’s home manager Abdul Rifai said: “To see families coming back to the building over the last few days has been wonderful. Both residents and their nominated visitors have been so excited to see each other without a screen again. With them now able to hold hands during our designated indoor visits, there have been a lot of smiles on faces here at Dungate Manor.”
