The Covid pandemic found the world unprepared, and in its early months claimed the lives of many thousands of people, with a particularly terrible toll on the residents of care homes. 

Much of the blame can be attributed to the lack of protocols in place at the time, and Covid positive patients being discharged into the care of homes that were unaware of their infectious state and ill equipped to deal with the fallout. There were also many carers and nurses who worked at more than one establishment, and unknowingly carried and spread the virus.

A lot has changed since then, we all know a lot more about the virus, and have become used to taking avoidance precautions in our daily lives and although the risk of infection has not passed, it is far less of a threat than it was a year ago.  We are now fortunate to have readily available testing and also a highly effective vaccination programme that has already been received by many millions, including our most vulnerable, and as such, Britain is beginning to enjoy the gradual lifting of restrictions.

Schools are back, we are allowed to meet with a limited number of people in outdoor spaces, non essential shops are open again, the pubs and restaurants are adapting to a different style of hospitality, and slowly we are heading towards  'more normal' lives again. With care and restraint, and mindful of social distancing, we are free to see our families and loved ones, sit together in outdoor spaces enjoying the fresh air and a long overdue catch up. Society is coming together again.

Unless you are a care home resident.

Without absolute and unambiguous legislation from government, care home managements have only their own interpretation of 'guidance' provided and overseen by Public Health England, to determine how the lifting of restrictions should be applied to their residents. This is leading to a massive difference in the permitted freedoms of residents between care homes. Whilst their carers and nurses are once again able to enjoy the benefits of the opening up of society, trips to the hairdresser, visits to family and friends, picnics in the park, etc, those they are employed to look after remain captive within the four walls of their care home. Some of these people have not stepped outdoors for more than thirteen months!

How can it be right and fair that these residents, many of whom have sold their properties to finance the care they are receiving, are denied the same privileges as the rest of the population? When the rest of the country is told to avoid being indoors with members of another household, and to wrap up warm and enjoy socially distanced contact in the open air, how can it be right to demand the very opposite of this for care home residents? That, should a care home resident wish to leave the confines of the home for a walk, an excursion, a change of scenery, an appointment, to get THEIR hair cut...anything..that they must then face 14 days' of isolation thereafter. With the same precautions, why are they at any more of a risk of contracting and bringing in the virus than the caring staff who live their lives externally and go in to the home to work every day?

How is it fair or just for the rest of society to now be enjoying a growing social circle, but limit the care home residents to two named people only for short non contact visits indoors, in full PPE, who cannot be changed whatever the circumstances? So that families have to decide which two family members get to see their loved ones at the exclusion of all others.  That sons and daughters who live a long distance away and have been banned from travelling over recent months, STILL can't see their relative, as for them to be the second nominated visitor would mean less visits for the resident due to their inability to see them very often, so they let others take their place.

Care home residents are NOT living apart from their families because they are not loved. Some have independently chosen this path for their own reasons whilst others have been placed into the care of professionals because their personal circumstances are such that they need greater help than could be satisfactorily provided in their own or their relative's homes. At great expense. And yet they are being denied their basic human right in having the freedom to come and go as they please.

There is 'living' and there is 'existing'. And I know which most of us would choose, given the option.

Isolation from loved ones and familiarity is tantamount to torture. The past thirteen months have been difficult for everyone, but for those people in care homes, with special needs, dementia and other illnesses that make them especially vulnerable, it has been horrific.  Covid, as we all know, is not just going to disappear, and will continue to challenge in the years to come. But that does not mean we should allow discrimination to occur in the steps taken to 'protect' the vulnerable, however well intentioned.

It is time the government put in place legislation to allow care home residents the same freedoms as the rest of the adult population.  To allow the loved ones of residents to take the necessary precautions to enable their relative to enjoy the rest of their life as an active and participating member of the family and not be kept behind locked doors away from all they love and enjoy.