Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Last updated Decmber 2, 2020

 

At Orchard House we are doing everything we can to keep our residents and staff safe during this difficult time and are pleased to announce that we have remained 100% virus free since the outbreak of the pandemic. The government’s guidelines for care environments are constantly evolving and we are making sure we’re always up to date.

As you are no doubt aware, the majority of our residents are some of the most vulnerable in the community, and as part of our efforts to keep them safe, we put on hold the ability for them to leave the home, as we felt the risk to their health outweighed the benefits. We understand that this has been a very challenging period for both our residents and their families, which is why we have tried our hardest to find novel ways of keeping you in touch. Government and local authority guidance on visiting is subject to change at short notice, please contact the home to discuss visiting arrangements and how you can keep in touch with our residents.

How are we keeping the person your support safe?

  • Staff are tested for the virus weekly
  • Residents are tested for the virus every 28 days
  • New residents are tested for the virus before admission
  • We have ample supplies of PPE and our team has up-to-date training on infection prevention and control 

Day care update

We are thrilled to say that our day care service has resumed and we are ready to welcome old and new visitors back.

We understand that choosing care services during the pandemic can be fraught with anxiety, but we also know that caring for a dependent relative has taken a heavy toll on many families during lockdown.

With the stringent safety measures we have in place, you can relax in the knowledge that the person you support is in safe hands. Furthermore, we have remained 100% virus free since the outbreak of the pandemic.

All day care visits have to be booked in advance by telephone and the numbers are being strictly limited each day to ensure a safe and enjoyable day for everyone. With many special events and activities planned we hope we will be seeing you soon!

Visiting our Care Home

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.
We are carefully planning Christmas visitation to ensure everyone who wants to visit can. We are setting up an indoor visiting room and as of the 10th of December you are able to call us to secure a visiting time.

Contact us on 01723 378220 or email enquiries@orchardhousecare.co.uk