Exeter care home residents reunite with loved ones in Home’s new visitor pod
Residents at RMBI Care Co. Home Cadogan Court, in Exeter, were overjoyed to be reunited with their loved ones this week after months without visitors.
The Home is among the first in the country to install a COVID-secure visitor pod, to enable residents to meet safely with their families again.
Like many other care homes, Cadogan Court closed its doors to all but essential visitors at the start of the pandemic to protect its residents.
Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that residents have had regular contact with their families by ‘phone or video call, but close up, face to face conversations have not been possible.
The newly created partitioned space has an airtight, glass screen to ensure the safety of residents, their families, and the Home’s staff. Visitors enter and exit the room from outside the Home to minimise the risk of infection. While residents access the room from a different door inside the Home.
The pod has an intercom system to allow residents and their visitors to speak with each other easily. Both sides of the pod are deep cleaned between each visit.
Among the residents thrilled to be able to have visitors again was George Cram, who was overjoyed to see his partner Wendy Evans.
George said: “I’ve spoken to Wendy on the phone, but to see in her in real life was absolutely wonderful!”
Wendy said: I had a wonderful visit with George, we were both thrilled to see each other after such a long time! It was quite emotional, but a really lovely visit. The visitor room is inviting and comfortable, it’s really making the most of a difficult situation. What the team there has arranged for us is truly marvellous and we are very thankful. It certainly gave us both a boost - in fact, this morning I was like a teenager going on my first date!”
Deputy Home Manager, Stuart Archer, said: “It means the world to our residents to be able to have their loved ones visit and chat to them. In normal times, they are able to have visitors whenever they like, so not being able to do that has been heart-breaking for everyone.
“We’re all looking forward to the day when they can hug each other, but until then, we hope that our new secure pod will make it a bit easier for our residents and their families.”
RMBI Home Cadogan Court is run by RMBI Care Co, part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The Home is currently able to safely welcome new residents. For more information, please visit: http://www.rmbi.org.uk/
