Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Care home takes its elderly on trip to seaside – after lockdown
THIS picture shows an elderly group from a care home on a minibus trip to the beach – after the lockdown was implemented.
Paul Scullion, 38, was shocked to see the group of at least six elderly people on the trip to the beach – flouting the Government’s advice.
He said they were escorted by two carers, and that the elderly group never left the bus that was parked up in Minehead, Somerset.
Paul believes that the residents were at risk of being infected by the coronavirus, and that the carers could have been spreaders.
He said: “It was a care home group; they had been taken on a day trip to the beach. They were just sat there drinking tea. It’s a risk, it was after the lockdown. There were more than two of them and they can’t all be from the same place. The carers probably don’t live in the home.
“The group were all elderly and they are supposed to stay inside because they are at risk. They are at risk of being infected, and the carers could be spreading the disease.”
Paul took the images on Tuesday morning when he was living in a motorhome near the beach. He is now self-isolating at his partner’s house in Minehead.
The elderly group are residents of a residential care home in Taunton, Somerset.
A spokesperson said: “We recognise the concerns raised by the photos of some (six) of our residents who were taken on a drive in our minibus to Minehead. Please be assured that we are taking our responsibilities to our residents extremely seriously, particularly in light of the current coronavirus outbreak.
“The residents concerned live together and are isolated together with the staff who also went on the drive. It was an attempt by our staff team to help residents achieve a change of scenery in a safe and controlled way after weeks of being isolated from friends and family visits, indoors. The residents did not leave the bus for the duration of the trip and did not come into contact with any person who does not live or work at the care home, and therefore there was no risk of infection.
“That said, we understand the concerns of members of the public and do not wish to cause further upset or anxiety to our community.
“We have taken the decision to halt all other bus trips for the foreseeable future and will look to find alternative ways of balancing physical health with mental wellbeing.”