NURSING HOME RESIDENTS WANT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SAFELY RECONNECT WITH THEIR FAMILIES April 23, 2021

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Sarah Lennon, Executive Director of Sage Advocacy, joins Kerry Today to discuss the publication of revised HPSC guidelines on visiting long term residential care facilities including nursing homes.

From May 4, providing there is a high level of vaccination in a nursing home – which means approximately about 8 out of every 10 residents in the facility have been vaccinated – residents will be able to have four visits by two people each week.

Sarah Lennon said that throughout the pandemic because of the threat posed by Covid-19 some nursing homes residents had very limited or often no contact at all with their loved ones and Sage Advocacy knows from its work that meaningful, safe visits are hugely important to the well being and mental health of nursing home residents.

Ms Lennon said residents now want every opportunity to safely reconnect with their families.

"The most recent round of testing in nursing home showed that 0:07 per cent rate of tests came back positive, it's obviously extremely low but it's not zero and while the virus is still in our communities we must continue to be vigilant, to protect some of our most vulnerable populations," Ms Lennon added.