Dutch idea to ease face-to-face visiting

A care home in the Netherlands has been quick off the mark to solve the problem of care home visits during lockdown.

A glazed 'pod' in the grounds has been built which enables relatives and friends to visit and engage in conversation via an intercom system. Only a glass pane separates them and it's proving a boon to families who would otherwise be barred from seeing their loved ones while visiting restrictions on account of the Covid-19 health crisis remain in force.

BBC News carried the story showing a family being reunited in Wassenaar, at a home run by Claris Healthcare, shortly after the UK's lockdown rules came in. A granddaughter visiting her grandmother with dementia declared it a great success.

Though many care homes here might find prohibitive because of expense, it does show what can be done where there's sufficient will. If restrictions continue longer term, as seems likely, it might be a solution that becomes more commonplace in time.