Care home residents embrace loved ones in Christmas Day visits

25 December 2020, 12:46 | Updated: 25 December 2020, 13:48

Chris Mills embraces his mother Carol Roberts during a visit at Aspen Hill Village care home
Chris Mills embraces his mother Carol Roberts during a visit at Aspen Hill Village care home. Picture: PA
Nick Hardinges

By Nick Hardinges

Dozens of residents at a care home in Leeds were free to embrace family members and friends on Christmas Day thanks to a rapid coronavirus test trial.

The elderly residents at Aspen Hill Village in Hunslet, south Leeds, could finally enjoy hugs and kisses with their loved ones who had tested negative for Covid-19 in the rapid results trial.

More than 70 close contact family visits were allowed on Friday morning following the successful trials of lateral flow testing which produced results in less than 30 minutes.

Dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gowns, gloves and masks, family members hugged and chatted with their relatives during the two-hour visiting window.

Some were pictured bringing gifts and flowers after months of being separated.

Read more: Thousands of lorry drivers spend Xmas Day in cabs at Channel border

Read more: It's a White Christmas! Snow falls in parts of UK on Xmas Day

Read more: Migrants in Calais celebrate Christmas despite desperate conditions

Diane Schofield embraces her friend Mary Kirby, who she affectionately calls Auntie Mary
Diane Schofield embraces her friend Mary Kirby, who she affectionately calls Auntie Mary. Picture: PA
Activities coordinator Claire Paver (centre) walks with two visitors to the care home
Activities coordinator Claire Paver (centre) walks with two visitors to the care home. Picture: PA
A rapid results trial helped Christmas Day visits go ahead in the Leeds care home
A rapid results trial helped Christmas Day visits go ahead in the Leeds care home. Picture: PA

Activities coordinator Claire Paver brought festive joy to residents and visitors by dressing up in a Santa Claus outfit and hat.

One elderly resident awaited the arrival of her loved ones in a reindeer headband.

Navjot Singh, director at Aspen Hill Village, said: "This year has been difficult for the whole country, but for those people living in care homes, or with loved ones in care homes, it has been even more so.

"For some of our residents, it's been over nine months since they've been able to hold hands, or have a hug, with their loved ones.

"That's why the lateral flow tests, which allow us to test visitors on the day to make sure they don't have the virus, are so exciting.

"It means that today, on Christmas Day, we have been able to reunite over 70 families for a much-needed hug, cup of tea and chat.

Chelsea Pensioners offered ‘early Christmas present’ of coronavirus vaccine

"It's brought a smile to everyone's faces and ends a very difficult year on a high.

"For our staff, who have tried their best to make life as normal as possible for the people they care for, it represents a bit of hope that our residents will have more normality in 2021."

Michael McKimm was able to see his grandmother, Rose McKimm, for the first time since February after being tested for the second time having contracted Covid in September.

He made the care home visit with his mother Mary Orme, who was also able to see Ms McKimm on Christmas Eve.

"It was fantastic, it pretty much made Christmas for me just to see her, it was great," he said, adding, "it was very emotional for my mum, she cried a lot."

Lateral flow tests were rolled out to care homes in England to help close contact visits go ahead and to combat isolation issues among residents.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Social Care announced care home staff in England will receive two rapid result tests a week in addition to regular testing to help keep the new Covid variant at bay.

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says