As aged care facilities prepare to welcome guests from 11 October, residents and families are looking forward to embracing loved ones for the first time in months.
Ashfield Baptist Homes has set up ‘visitor pods’ in the carparks of their homes to enable contactless visits.
The pods allow residents and loved ones to see each other through a pane of glass and communicate using speakers.
They are set up with comfortable chairs and are decorated sensitively with paintings, faux fireplaces and indoor plants.
For many residents, these visits have been their only link to the outside world, and they do have their place. However, they still don’t allow physical contact.
Brenda and Don Greentree told Nine.com.au “it’s been hard” not seeing family and they are looking forward to embracing them.
From ‘freedom day’ on 11 October, two visitors will be allowed daily into aged care homes. All visitors must be fully vaccinated but children under 12 will not be permitted.
Visitor restrictions are being eased in NSW from 11 October as vaccination rates continue rising towards set targets.
As of 30 September, 78% of Australians over the age of 16 have had at least one dose of the vaccine, and 54% are fully vaccinated.
