Bondcare Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

The team at Bondcare would like to sincerely thank you for trusting us with the care of your relatives. We know that choosing a care home for a relative carries an enormous emotional weight, and we take great pride in repaying your faith in us. We work so hard to ensure that we meet each and every need of each and every resident, providing them with the utmost care and companionship every day to help make their stay a fulfilling one. 

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, we wanted to take a moment to update you on what we’re doing and how we’re taking care of your loved ones. We understand the stress that this situation is putting on people with relatives in care, and so we hope this will help to answer any questions and allay any fears you might have. 

We’re doing more than monitoring government advice

Whilst we’re keeping a close eye on what the government says and the advice it gives to the country, we’re also making sure to monitor our homes carefully so that we can act quickly, rather than waiting for the official word on what to do. Should we feel that extra measures are required for the safety of our residents and staff, we’ll enact them as long as we feel it is appropriate to do so.

Welcoming new residents

Each of our homes is open to accepting new residents, with health checks in place for all incoming residents. We want our new residents to enjoy a warm welcome to our home, but the current situation means we can’t take any chances with health and safety. This process has been devised with the safety of new and existing residents alike, as well as our staff.

As standard, we’ll take great care to assess the personal needs of each new resident. They must also take a coronavirus test – if they return a negative test result, the resident can move in and receive in-room care for 14 days. If the test result is positive, we ask that the resident remains at home for 14 days; after this, they can move into their Bondcare home and receive in-room care for a 14 day period before joining the wider group.  

Activities for residents

We always have plenty of activities available for our residents, but they are particularly important during periods where visits are unfortunately not allowed. We have dedicated activities coordinators here to ensure our residents are engaged and stimulated, which is crucial to keeping spirits up during these most unusual of times. From group activities to one-to-one time, ensuring each resident enjoys a fulfilling day is one of our top priorities.

When will I be allowed to visit?

Following the latest government guidelines, we are back open for visitors. To help manage the risks of Covid-19 with our residents, we do ask that visitors call ahead if possible and let the homes know when a visit is planned.

As new restrictions come in with the latest government update, visiting regulations may vary across our homes, depending on their location and the guidelines and ‘tier’ relating to that location. To find out more about the visiting rules at your loved one’s care home, please contact the home directly to speak to a friendly staff member.

What safety measures have you got in place?

We take no shortcuts when it comes to safety measures, particularly concerning COVID-19. All surfaces are regularly disinfected, staff are highly trained and experienced in sanitisation and the practices of infection control. The highest amount of care is put into our safety and hygiene protocols. Our staff undergo regular testing for COVID-19, and we operate a stringent testing policy for new residents. Any new resident is required to take a coronavirus test – a negative result means they can move in immediately and receive in-room care for 14 days, and a positive result requires them to stay at home for a further 14 days before moving in.

Residents are tested every 4 weeks in England – in Scotland and Wales, tests are only required if a resident develops symptoms or a staff member tests positive for COVID-19. As testing capacity increases, we’ll be able to test more frequently in order to make our homes even safer and more comfortable for residents and staff.

What if the Government Guidelines change?

We do our utmost to help relatives and residents get in touch with each other. Each of our residents has a phone line and internet access, so you can speak to them whenever you like. The aforementioned window visits may well be available at your loved one’s home – please contact the home for details. 

We have individual Facebook pages set up for each care home – relatives can follow them there and stay up to date with how they’re doing and what they’ve been up to. We’re also making use of Facebook live streams where possible – so you can tune in and watch some of the residents’ activities in real time. 

We know this is the most difficult time for those with loved ones in care, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure we’re ready to welcome visitors as soon as it is safe to do so. We’re being as proactive as possible so that relatives and residents wait no longer than necessary to be reunited. Please continue to check our site for regular updates about what we’re doing, give us a call or email us at admin@bondcare.co.uk. We’ll see you soon.

Last updated: 21/04/2021