Publication - Advice and guidance

Open with Care: adult care home visiting guidance - easy read

Published: 1 June 2022
Directorate: Social Care and National Care Service Development
Topic: Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland, Health and social care
ISBN: 9781804355619

Easy read version of Open with Care guidance for visiting adult care homes. It includes information for care home residents, expectations on visiting, and measures in place to support visiting, including during a COVID-19 outbreak.

Supporting documents

Care home visiting: A guide for adults living in care homes: Easy Read

What is this leaflet about?

This is an Easy Read document from the Scottish Government

In this leaflet, we have explained what words in bold mean. We explain what these words mean in the sentence after they have been used.

Some words are blue and underlined. These are links which will go to another website which has more information.

This leaflet tells you about seeing your friends and family safely. It tells you about going out when there is an infection in the care home such as COVID-19.

COVID-19 is an illness. It is sometimes called coronavirus.

If someone gets COVID-19 they may experience a high temperature, a cough and a loss or change to their smell or taste.

Getting the COVID-19 vaccination helps protect people from becoming seriously unwell with COVID-19.

The COVID-19 vaccination is an injection.

It has been tested.

The protection reduces over time. This means you may need extra vaccinations to stay protected. Your care home will tell you when you need the COVID-19 vaccination.

Your care home follows guidance to keep you safe. You can talk to the care home staff about who you want to see and where you want to go.

Seeing your friends and family

Care home staff should support you to see your friends and family in the same way you did before COVID-19, whenever possible.

Visits from friends and family to care homes

Before someone can visit you, they must ensure that they are well and do not have COVID-19 symptoms or another illness.

Visits can take place in your own room.

You can hold hands, hug and kiss your friends and family members.

But visitors may be sometimes asked to follow safety advice including keeping their distance from others.

A few people can visit you at the same time and can stay for as long as you like.

The care home will give your visitors instructions on things they should do when they are visiting you. This will include asking your visitors to follow current guidance on COVID-19 testing.

Children and babies are welcome.

People can bring pets to visit you if they speak to the home first.

Visitors may wear a mask when spending time with you in your room.

Gifts, including food and drink, can be shared between you and your visitor.

You have a right to privacy during visits.

You can still go out to see friends and family. You can do the activities you enjoy.

You can stay overnight at a friend or family member's house if this has been arranged with the care home.

The staff at your care home can support you with any arrangements to make your visit as safe as possible.

If your care home has an outbreak

An outbreak is when 2 or more people in a care home get COVID-19 or other infectious disease.

If there is a Covid-19 outbreak or another infection you might have fewer visitors.

During an outbreak you will be able choose several people who will be able to spend time with you. These people could be family members or friends.

When this happens, you will be able to see one person per day in your room.

If there is a COVID-19 outbreak or another infection, you can still use the phone or have a video call with friends and family.

You may also be able to have outdoor visits from friends or family. This needs to be arranged with the Care Home staff. Your visitors may be asked to follow safety advice when visiting you.

If you get COVID-19 or another infection you may be asked to stay in your room away from others for a short while to help keep everyone safe.

Essential visits

You can have a visit indoors if there are special circumstances. Special circumstances could be when someone is at the end of their life.

Or if someone is very upset and needs a visit from a family member or friend.

Speaking to care home staff

If you have any questions about seeing your friends and family or are not happy, you can speak to staff. They will help you sort things out

You could also speak to a family member or friend you trust about how you feel.

If you are not happy about something at the care home, you or someone else can contact the Care Inspectorate. The Care Inspectorate can encourage care homes to support people to see each other.