Can we access day care and respite care during lockdown?

Many people are unsure about what the lockdown rules mean for day care and respite services at Orchard House. We are pleased to say that we can continue operating normally.

Our experience over the last year has shown us that remaining socially connected is vital for people of all ages. Social distancing has had a negative impact on the health of many people, and for older people in particular.

Our day care and respite care services have a host of benefits, because being socially connected has been shown to slow the rate of physical and cognitive decline.

Over the past months our day visitors and residents have been supported to become pen pals with local schools and churches, enjoyed watching a streamed production of The Snow Queen from the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and a Christmas concert recording from Gladstone Road school. Innovative ways of using technology have meant that residents were able to see a celebration of the mass from St Peter’s Church.

The last year has seen huge changes in the way we live and work, and we are constantly looking for new ways to promote social engagement for the people we support so that we can enrich their lives.

To find out more about how we can help support the person you care for get in touch at 01723 378220 or by email at enquiries@orchardhousecare.co.uk

Orchard House Day Care will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve and re-open on Tuesday 29th December until Thursday 31st. We will be closed New Years Day and then re-open on Tuesday 5th January.

Our respite stays are still available so  if you would like a Christmas break with us contact us to check availability, we are looking forward to a traditional Christmas with all of our residents.

We would like to wish all our visitors and their families a very Happy Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Great news today, the government has announced that families who test negative for Covid-19 will be able to visit care home residents. Lateral Flow Device testing (LFD) is going to be used to test family members before visiting. Results from the tests will come back within 30 minutes and as long as the test comes back negative, you’ll be able to visit residents inside the home. Visits will still need to be socially distanced and visitors will need to be wearing PPE.

Visiting Our Home this Christmas

We’ve been working hard to ensure we are aligned to the new changes in government guidance and that we can welcome visitors back into the home.

We will be carefully planning Christmas visitation to ensure that everyone who wants to visit can. We are setting up an indoor visiting room and you will be able to telephone us to secure a visiting time.

Our designated visiting room will be similar to a living room, with comfortable furnishing and heating to create a welcoming and warm environment for you. We would not encourage residents to leave the service, as the current guidance states that only those of working age should.

Please note, the directors or registered manager may postpone visits at any time without prior notice, should they feel it necessary for the safety of all, or if instructed to by the government or public health guidance. This may result in a visit being cancelled at short notice, but you can rest assured that we will do our best to give you as much notice as possible.

Vaccinations

We are also very excited to hear that a vaccine is imminent, and the government has stated that care home residents and staff will be the first priority in their vaccination plan. This is brilliant news for the whole country and brings us renewed optimism that we can look forward to a happy and healthy new year!

After many months of our day care being closed due to Covid-19,we are thrilled to say that the government and health advisors have recognised that there are physical and emotional benefits for people who use the service.

We have been working very hard to prepare to welcome our visitors back in the safest possible way and give families the reassurance that we are working with the most recent guidance available. We are able to offer our day care service once again from Tuesday 17th November and we look forward to welcoming old and new visitors to Orchard House.

Please contact us if you would like to make a booking or find out more about our day care service