RESIDENTS at a York care home were overjoyed to be reunited with their loved ones recently after months without visitors.

Connaught Court, in Fulford, is among the first care homes in the country to install a Covid-secure visitor pod, to enable residents to meet safely with their families again.

Like many other care homes, Connaught Court closed its doors to all but essential visitors at the start of the pandemic to protect its residents.

Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that residents have had regular contact with their families by phone or video call, but close up, face to face conversations have not been possible.

The newly-created partitioned space has an airtight, glass screen to ensure the safety of residents, their families, and the home’s staff. Visitors enter and exit the room from outside the home to minimise the risk of infection. While residents access the room from a different door inside the home.

The pod has an intercom system to allow residents and their visitors to speak with each other easily. Both sides of the pod are deep cleaned between each visit.

Among the residents thrilled to be able to have visitors again was Allen Denny, who was delighted to see his partner Lesley Morrison and their beloved dogs.

Allen said: “Oh it’s really lovely to see them again and to be able to talk! We’ve tried to speak every day but we’re not quite wizards with the technology, so it’s great to properly see each other, and the dogs too!”

Lesley said: “It’s been wonderful! We’ve had a good old chin wag and I just haven’t stopped smiling. The home has done a terrific job looking after Allen through all this, we can’t have asked for more.”

Home manager, Victoria Wilson, said: “It means the world to our residents to be able to have their loved ones visit and chat to them. In normal times, they are able to have visitors whenever they like, so not being able to do that has been heart-breaking for everyone.

“We’re all looking forward to the day when they can hug each other, but until then, we hope that our new secure pod will make it a bit easier for our residents and their families.”

Connaught Court is run by RMBI Care Co., part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The home is currently able to safely welcome new residents. For more information, visit: http://www.rmbi.org.uk/