New rules on visits to Welsh care homes could make all the difference for bed-bound residents

New guidance on visits to care home residents issued by Welsh Government could be a real benefit to those that are less mobile, the manager of a specialist dementia home has said.

The guidance, which came into force on Saturday as part of Wales’ transition from “stay home” to “stay local”, says care homes can accept indoor visits from one designated visitor in a household.

Meddyg Care, which operates sites in Criccieth and Portmadog, is already in a position to do so.

However, Kevin Edwards, managing director, is calling on families and volunteers to step up and help make it a reality for all residents, including those who aren’t able to leave their rooms.

Kevin said: “We welcome this change for our homes and every step towards the end of this pandemic is a positive one.

“There are of course more steps to go to make visits possible for all our residents, as some don’t have any family that are strictly local, but the guidance issued by Welsh Government on visits has been very clear, and that will be helpful for us and for families.

“We’ve had indoor visiting pods for a little while now, so this won’t make a huge amount of difference to the residents that are mobile but could make all the difference to those that are bed-bound.

“This comes with more responsibilities, so we do need more manpower to help that happen. This includes taking tests to people in their cars, making sure they’re wearing the right PPE, escorting them to the room and cleaning down afterwards.

“We’ve asked families and the Red Cross, but anyone who might be able to help is welcome to contact us.

“However, the infection rates in Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy have stayed high relative to other parts of Wales, so I think we do need to be cautious. Our residents’ health is always our first priority.”