Hugs banned as Kiwis resume rest home visits

New Zealanders reuniting with loved ones in rest homes under coronavirus alert level 2 are banned from hugging them.

Others are only able to see their family members once a week for no more than 30 minutes, under supervision, as strict restrictions remain in place to protect older New Zealanders.

A Christchurch woman, who Stuff agreed not to name, saw her 91-year-old mother on Sunday for the first time since March.

She had to arrive 15 minutes before her appointment for the visit, line up and sign in, put on a mask and use hand sanitiser before being ‘‘escorted’’ to her mum’s room. She was seated 1-metre away from her profoundly deaf mother and ‘‘had to shout at her for 30 minutes’’.

She was also not allowed to give her mum a hug, which was ‘‘really hard’’.

Under alert level 2, general family visits to aged care facilities are permitted but still restricted.

Those in aged care facilities are at higher risk of infection and severe illness from Covid-19 given their age and overall frailty.

Five of the country’s significant clusters of Covid-19 were linked to aged care facilities — making up the majority of New Zealand’s Covid-19 deaths.

A Blenheim woman who visited her mum in a rest home on Friday after the lockdown said it was ‘‘really sad’’ they weren’t able to hug.

‘‘All she wanted was a cuddle, and we weren’t allowed to.’’

Her 85-year-old mother has been in a home for about 14 months after having a stroke. Before lockdown, the woman would visit her mum up to five times a week — now the family is limited to just one 30-minute appointment once a week.

The rest home was facilitating appointment-only visits, and guests had to wear masks and plastic covers on their shoes.

A staff member sat in her mum’s room with them during their 30-minute reunion, which she said was ‘‘uncomfortable’’.

‘‘I completely understand [why the restrictions are in place], but it seems so unfair. I cried when I came home.’’

The home had also banned children and animals, meaning her mum’s greatgrandchildren and the woman’s beloved puppy were not able to visit either.

A south Auckland woman had to go through security at the gate and sign in before seeing her mother in her room at a rest home.

Her temperature was tested, and she had to fill in a health questionnaire before donning a mask and gloves.

The rest home had been ‘‘stringent’’ even before lockdown, with good reason, she said.

Under level 2, providers must take precautions and manage visiting in a controlled way to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission, the Ministry of Health website states.

This could include limiting the number of people able to visit a resident, and limiting the number of visitors at any one time.

It would be up to a provider to decide how long a visit could be, and where visitation could take place.

‘‘All she wanted was a cuddle, and we weren’t allowed to.’’

Blenheim woman