..and still no end in sight for families
HURT
Care home residents who have had both doses of Covid-19 vaccine are still not being told when the misery of lockdown isolation will end.
Allan Cairns has been left furious at the “ineptitude” of the Scottish Government after his 80-year-old mum Nan “cried and begged” for help.
The retired shop worker has had two inoculation shots but there is still no plan in place for meaningful visits to resume at her home.
Allan, 43, and engineer from Cardonald, Glasgow, said: “I saw mum for the first time in over a month last week and it was devastating.
“She was sad, angry, lonely and bewildered and I could do nothing from the other side of a plastic screen as she cried, begged and pleaded to come home with me.
“It’s now approaching a year that she has been cut off and the deterioration has been terrible to see.
“She has now had both doses of vaccine, as have the others in her care home so far as I know. I assumed that there would be some plan in place to get visiting back up and running but there’s just nothing at all, no plan, no information, it’s a disgrace.”
Allan was allowed limited visits with Nan before Silverburn Care Home in the city’s Pollok was locked down by a Covid outbreak in December.
He has backed the Sunday Mail’s campaign for Anne’s Law – which would give loved ones of care home residents legal visiting rights.
Named in honour of dementia sufferer Anne Duke – who has been separated from her family since last March – it would allow nominated relatives the same access as staff while adhering to strict infection control.
Allan added: “I’m sick of the Scottish Government’s ineptitude. How long is this going to go on for before families say enough is enough?
“Anne’s Law would be the obvious way to sort this and it could be done in a day if they wanted.”
A spokesman for Silverburn Care Home said: “We understand the difficulties for families surrounding visits, and we have an obligation to safeguard all our residents as well as our staff during this unprecedented time.”