RELATIVES' INFO

We are always touched by relatives’ messages of support and thanks, particularly over the last two challenging years. Thank YOU for thanking us. It means a lot. 

Further to updates from the Scottish Government on COVID-related guidelines in care homes, we wanted to update you on what this will mean for you and your loved ones.

With the continued easing of community restrictions surrounding COVID-19, we are delighted to announce an update on out-of-home visiting guidelines.

In light of the continuing increase in community transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Balhousie Care Group has issued a change to its guidelines on resident outings.

In the light of the emergence of the new COVID variant Omicron, we have issued the following visiting guidelines update to help minimise the risk of spread of infection in our homes.

On December 10, 2021 the Scottish Government issued the following guidance to minimising the risk of COVID-19 in care homes during the winter period.

As part of our continued work to relax visiting guidelines and get back to a ‘new normal’ in our care homes, we are happy to announce that, with immediate effect, indoor visiting can now take place seven days a week. As before, our residents can receive up to two visitors at a time, from different households if necessary, and these do not have to be designated visitors.

As the whole of Scotland moves to Level 0, we are pleased to inform you of some more visiting updates, including more frequent visits and unlimited duration of visits.

In line with Scottish Government’s ‘Open with Care’ guidance, please find here our guidelines on residents staying overnight with a loved one.  Please remember that overnight visiting carries a risk to visitors, residents and staff, therefore careful attention to infection prevention and control measures must be in place to reduce such risk.

We are delighted to announce updated visiting guidelines from May 20, when residents and relatives can enjoy an increase in visitors and length of visits, as well as a wider choice of out-of-home trips. We also include an update on face masks and visors.

In line with the general easing of lockdown restrictions across the country, and following a successful trial this week, we are delighted to introduce out-of-home visiting and trips for residents and relatives.

Here are our guidelines for happy and safe visits out of the home.

We are delighted to announce that as of April 1st, residents can enjoy enhanced in-home and garden visits across our care homes.

We’re delighted to be taking this important step after what’s been a long wait for everyone.

Protecting your loved one and our staff is our top priority, and that’s especially true of us opening our doors once more. Here are our initial guidelines, which will change as transmission risks reduce.

We are delighted to be able to welcome relatives back inside our homes. Click on the link on the image and below for some tips for visiting your loved one again after a period of separation.

From January 26, our window visiting guidelines changed from one to two people per visit.

Following the news of another national lockdown and increasing cases in the general community, we wanted to provide some reassurances to relatives along with updates on testing and vaccinations.

While visitation has been suspended, there are still many ways in which you can keep in touch with your loved one. We are pleased to be able to continue offering window visits.

Due to growing concerns regarding the newly identified COVID variant virus, all Balhousie Care Group homes are again temporarily closed to all visits with immediate effect and until further notice.

Balhousie Care Group is excited to finally be welcoming relatives and loved ones back into our homes for restricted visiting with residents, starting on December 14. Indoor visits will be for one visitor per resident for up to 30 minutes and will take place in a designated area, with requirements for PPE and following our rigorous infection prevention and control procedures.

Balhousie Care Group is delighted to now be accepting up to six visitors per resident from up to two households for garden and window visits at our care homes. These visits can last for up to 45 minutes once a week. In addition, our homes are bringing in measures to make outdoor visits more comfortable, including constructing gazebos, having residents remain inside for visits, and purchasing outdoor heaters and intercom systems.

On October 12, 2020 the Scottish Government announced enhanced care home visits in Scotland, including increased duration of visits and with more family and friends present. While we wholeheartedly support visits  between relatives and care home residents, and recognise the positive impact these have, we strongly feel that there are still barriers to us moving ahead to relax visitation rules.

Click below for our full statement.

After in-house discussion among our management and advisors, and taking into account clinical evidence on the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Balhousie Care Group has suspended in-home visits with our residents until further notice, with the exception of end of life visitation.

Garden and window visits will continue and as before are required to be booked in advance so we can safely manage the number of visitors on-site. You can do this via our online booking system or by calling the Home Manager directly.

THANK YOU for all your patience and support these last few months. We are aware that the rules surrounding care home visitation have been subject to a number of changes and we truly appreciate your understanding.

Several months apart is hard for anyone – but particularly the elderly and those in cognitive decline. That’s why we’ve produced some tips for making the visit go as smoothly as possible.

We are delighted to now be accepting up to two visitors per resident for garden visits at our care homes. These can last for up to 30 minutes once a week.

The threat of COVID-19 is still very real to our vulnerable and elderly. That’s why we’re following the strictest infection prevention and control measures for visitors, including the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), thermal imaging cameras to detect high temperatures, and staggered visits through an online booking system.

THANK YOU for your cooperation and support as we all continue to navigate our ‘new normal’.

Balhousie Care Group has been working hard to formulate measures for how to take care homes forward in the next weeks and months. From Monday May 25 we are permitting visits from relatives to loved ones who are end of life. The visits will entail rigorous risk assessment as well as thorough infection control procedures during the visits. .

Staying at home is hard for everyone – but especially if you’re a caregiver to someone who’s elderly or living with dementia. Here are some tips our own professionals are using in our care homes, to help you through the lockdown.

This has been an extraordinary and emotional few weeks for all of us, and I wanted to write to convey my thanks to you for your cooperation with us at this time. As we continue to do as much as possible to reduce potential exposure of your loved ones to COVID-19, I thought this was a good opportunity to set out exactly what our procedures are.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL VISITORS:

Non-essential visits to our care homes are now suspended.

As you know, the health and safety of our residents is of the utmost importance to us at Balhousie Care Group. In the light of the current situation regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the daily changes to the government guidelines, we feel it is important for us to protect our residents and minimise the risk to them as much as possible.

For this reason, all non-essential visits to the care home are now suspended until further notice.