Coronavirus Update
Cedars Care Group would like to update visitors and offer reassurance that we are doing everything practicable to keep our residents and employees safe during this unprecedented spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and we would like to confirm that all of our homes have regular testing to ensure we are keeping COVID free.
In line with the latest Government guidelines, we have devised the following visiting procedures for our homes.
- All visitors must make arrangements with care homes in advance of the visit, so that we can manage the number of people attending at any one time to ensure safe visiting practices can be maintained taking into account the size and layout of our care home
- The duration of visits should not be limited if safe visiting practices can be maintained
- Visits should take place in a room most practical and comfortable for the resident away from other residents (for example, residents with dementia may be more comfortable in their own room with familiar belongings)
- Visitors must have a negative lateral flow test result and report it on the day of their visit, either by conducting the test at home or when they arrive at the home
- Every care home resident should be supported to have an identified essential care giver who may visit the home to offer companionship or help with care needs – essential care givers should be able to visit inside the care home even during periods of isolation and outbreak, providing the essential care giver does not have COVID-19
- During an outbreak, we will also continue to offer visits outdoors, in visiting pods or from behind windows – rooms should be left to ventilate with external doors and windows open between uses wherever possible, while aiming to maintain a comfortable temperature for residents and visitors
- Outbreak restrictions may be lifted if 14 days have passed since the onset of symptoms in the most recent case, a round of PCR recovery testing of all residents and staff is undertaken, and there are no PCR positive results
- Physical contact should be enabled to help health and wellbeing, as long as IPC measures are in place, such as visiting in a ventilated space, using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the visit, and hand washing before and after visiting – gloves are not needed for handholding and stringent adherence to hand washing is advised
- Residents should be supported to undertake visits out of the care home as appropriate, following the reasonable precautions and testing arrangements
- All residents should isolate for 10 days (with testing to end isolation sooner) following a high-risk visit out, including an emergency stay in hospital, or if they test positive for COVID-19
- Visitors should not enter the care home if they are feeling unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19 and are fully vaccinated and have received their booster. Transmissible viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus can be just as dangerous to care home residents as COVID-19. If visitors have any symptoms that suggest other transmissible viruses and infections, such as cough, high temperature, diarrhoea or vomiting, they should avoid the care home until at least 5 days after they feel better
- Visitors are advised against visiting the care home (for 10 days) if they have been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, unless absolutely necessary, even if they have been fully vaccinated. Where visits do occur, visitors should have received a negative lateral flow test result earlier in the day of their visit
As always we will be continuing to monitor the Government guidelines due to the fluidity of this situation and any changes will be communicated out to our residents’ main point of contacts in the usual way. Information will also be updated on this page as and when changes need to be made. For the most up to date information in regards to visiting our homes, please call the home directly as they will be able to advise you of the current visiting practices that are in place in their home.
Please be assured that we will keep you updated as soon as we have any new information to share and we would like to thank you for your support at this time.
