Test relatives of care home residents

My father is resident in a nursing home. He is compos mentis but needs physical care. He would dearly love to be able to come back to the family home for a visit in our garden (we’re only 5 minutes drive from the care home). If the immediate family members of care homes could be tested for the coronavirus and all PPE was worn and followed strictly, this could be arranged. The care home has a car which could be driven by a carer and sanitised. I live with my mother and am working from home. We are coming into contact with a very small number of people and are closely following sanitisation procedures, distancing etc. I believe my father’s emotional and psychological well-being is being compromised by not allowing him to come back to the family home for a visit. At the moment, he would have to self-isolate for 14 days in his small care home room on his return if he were to leave the care home for a visit to the family home which again compromises his quality of life. I sincerely hope a way forward can be found to balance the need to keep him and other residents safe from the virus and also to meet his emotional and psychological needs by enabling a visit to the family home. I’m sure we’re not alone in this dilemma and would advocate the testing of the immediate family members of residents.

See above.