Emotions are high as indoor visits resume in care homes

Renaissance Care homes reopened to indoor visitors yesterday whilst following government guidance.

The emotional scenes saw residents reunite with loved ones indoors with the green light to hug and touch for the first time in nearly one year.

Percy Mann (103) at Whitecraigs Care home in Glasgow hugged his daughter Liz McLeod with delight when she visited yesterday, Wednesday 3rd March. 

"It was lovely to see him," Liz said, "He was so pleased to see me. He sat up and he was so animated when he was talking.

"Sometimes I went to see him and he wasn't always aware of what was happening because it was outside and it was cold and uncomfortable but today he was in his own environment and he was chatting away - it was great, really fabulous to see him.

"It was nice to give him a cuddle and hold his hand and get that contact.

"It was like I was visiting him a year past, like it was back to normal."

Whitecraigs, part of the Renaissance Care group, has stringent measures in place to protect residents.

Annmarie Porter, general manager at Renaissance Care’s Whitecraigs care home, said: “This marks a very special moment for our residents, their families and the staff here at Whitecraigs.

"This has been what we have all been driving towards since the day we went into to lockdown, just short of a year ago.

"The importance of physical touch and face-to-face conversation cannot be underestimated for our residents.

"Sensory experiences are fantastic for their mental wellbeing, nothing can beat familiar smiles and voices, or a hug from a child or spouse.

"We really are all an extended family and the buzz around the home has been fantastic today.

"Just knowing what it means to the residents to be able to see their loved ones has lifted the mood of everyone tenfold, it gives us all hope that we are on the right path to getting back to normal."