Give us the gift of #AnnesLaw this Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day lockdown.2 edition.

Who would have thought we still wouldn't be looking to book the usual Mother's Day lunch at our favourite restaurants but instead having to get imaginative on how we can meet safely and celebrate Mother's Day.

Sadly if you have a mother in a care home or even a mother with a child in a care home you are deprived of the imagination element. Infact you have to ask for permission to meet up on Mother's Day and then depending what care provider you are with depends on how you can spend this day together...if at all (yes despite having guidance released on 24th February there are still care providers/homes not allowing visits to happen)

Some of these visist may look like -

- 2 hours in your loved ones room spending quality time together with a few hugs and hand holding, whilst adhering to proper hand hygiene (Shout out to mum's care home for going above and beyond).

- privacy with your loved one, which many are starting to enjoy again, being trusted and no longer supervised by a member of staff.

- a walk around the local area enjoying what is hopefully a dry Mother's Day.

- alone time reminiscing over old photos or just simply watching a favourite film together.

- opening presents together.

Some of these vists may look like -

- visit behind a screen with no privacy

- no presents or gifts on the day

- looking through a window when your loved one is unable to hear or see you, or even sadly no longer having the capacity to know you are there.

- still not allowed to leave the care home for a walk locally.

- still no privacy or trust and watched from a far as they finally meet after a year.

- no touch allowed even with PPE , remembering that not all those who reside in care can communicate verbally and they need sensory communication.

- some are even getting less than 30 minutes with their loved one.

Then there are sadly those who are still being denied visits and don't know when visits will be likely to begin.

Now I know some may read the above and say well I can't do any of that with my mum or children either, and I get that believe me. What I need to add is that those in care homes didn't get the Christmas bubble we all enjoyed, they were never permitted to meet up in summer of 2020 or get any benefits such as Eat Out to Help Out.

I could go on!

Care home residents have lived over a year of isolation from friends and family with very little relaxation benefits. Yes the agrument is to keep them safe, but we know so many have died of covid and non covid related deaths isolated and alone, so that argument no longer sits well with me.

The current 24th February guidance has not been released lightly, alot of work has went on behind the scenes to ensure that visits can happen safely for all involved. We have PPE, IPC , strict hand hygiene, testing and the continued roll out of the vaccine. Care Home Relatives Scotland have also worked with leading IPC experts to create the following information - https://enablesafecare.org - to support safe visiting.

Now more than ever we have to allow residents to be reunited with family and friends.....if it is safe for staff to enter their workplace then it is safe for these reunions to begin.

Sadly as stated the guidance is still a postcode lottery. I cannot believe we still live in a country that refuses to reocgnises the unfairness of this and the inequality it brings to many people across the country. I thought we lived in a country where equality was high on the agenda.

This is why we continue to fight for #AnnesLaw to ensure that anyone who resides in a care home has the same level of access to family life no matter who the care provider or healthboard is. EVERY care home resident should have access to bare minimum one close family member/friend in a meaningful way.

We have to remember that video calls, phone calls, window visits etc are not fit for purpose for so many residing in care. The emotional well being and mental health is not being met due to the many complex needs for those residing in care.

The initial petition (click here) which is sitting at 94k + signatures has been lodged with the Scottish Parliament (click here) and will be up for discussion for a third time in the next week or so. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can submit a response to the petition committee supporting the need for this legislation so if you have signed the change.org petition we would love for you to submit a reponse to the committee by the 16th March stating why you support this call for legisaltion. It is very simple to do and needs to be no more than 800 words and send it on to petitions@parliament.scot

In a time where people are fighting to be allowed into care homes to say goodbye to their dying relatves, mostly not of covid may I add, the least we owe these families is #AnnesLaw

Lets eradicate the postcode lottery mentality and ensure no-one is denied access to their family in the last months/years of their lives let alone their last dying moments.

Give us the gift of #AnnesLaw this Mother's Day.