Kate and William met in person on Wednesday some of the residents at the Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff they had played bingo with via video link at the height of the lockdown. While this royal engagement has been cherished by both the royals themselves and their cheerful hosts, the son of one of the residents at the care home revealed he was upset to see Kate and William visiting his father’s residence while he couldn’t.
Rhys Thomas said he was told by the care home he could not see his father Owen John Thomas until Friday after one of the carers tested positive for coronavirus.
However, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were allowed to visit his father’s care home, a sight Mr Thomas has described as “upsetting”.
He told the BBC Wales: “It’s a bit upsetting that we can’t go but the Royal Family are allowed to go there and play bingo.
“We didn’t know about it beforehand.
“Maybe the care home didn’t know about it in advance, so I’m not critical of not knowing.”
Mr Thomas said he is very happy with the care home for the way they have been caring for his dad over the past 18 months.
After voicing his feelings to the staff in an email, Mr Thomas’s upset was taken into consideration by the care home.
He continued: “I’m happy with the home – they provide very, very good care.
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“I sent an email complaining, and I have had two phone calls from the care home today trying to explain. I accept their apology.
“It’s nothing to do with being against the visit per se – some people of a certain generation would have appreciated that.”
Mr Thomas, whose father suffer from dementia, added he hasn’t seen his father since early July due to the quarantine in place and he will now be unable to see him until Tuesday because he is going away for five days.
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He added: “But of course, we don’t know if the care home will be locked down again.
“It looks like I could have gone on Wednesday, but the Duke and Duchess were there.”
Given his father’s condition and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Mr Thomas said “every moment is precious” with him.
Current government guidelines state a care home can be declared COVID-19-free only after a 28-day period since the last outbreak.
A guidance updated at the end of July by the Government titled ‘Admission and care of residents in care home during COVID-19’ read: “Recovery from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a care home is defined by a period of 28 days or more since the last laboratory confirmed or clinically suspected cases was identified in a resident or member of staff in the home.”
The care home explained not all visitors have been barred from entering the care home – but Mr Thomas was as his father is part of the care homes’ dementia community put on quarantine.
After 28 days without an outbreak in this community, the staff at the care home wrote to all the relatives concerned saying that, as it takes time to arrange visits in accordance with guidance on social distancing and anti-crowding, the staff could begin facilitating outdoor visits from Thursday.
Mr Thomas said he hadn’t received this letter.
Correspondence between the local authority and the care home manager, seen by the BBC, states the 28-day no-visitor period came to an end on Wednesday.
The care home said: “We understand the importance of the connection between residents and their loved ones and have worked hard to develop innovative ways to keep them in touch throughout this challenging period.”
Visits to the home had resumed for all, it continued.
It added: “We would like to thank relatives for their support during this challenging period.”
