Staff and people living in care homes are to be given free iPads to connect with friends and family this winter.
The government says that: “iPads will stop the spread of the virus by reducing unnecessary visits while still allowing residents to connect with friends and family. iPads will also allow staff to access healthcare information quickly and easily, and set up virtual NHS consultations where appropriate to reduce risk of infection.”
It goes on: “Up to 11,000 iPad tablets, worth £7.5 million, will be distributed to thousands of care homes across England to support residents and staff and reduce the risk of infection from people going into homes as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
Minister for Care, Helen Whately said: “I have heard from many people about the pain of not being able to visit, not being able to hug or even hold the hand of their husband or wife, father or mother. I know iPads won’t solve this problem and connecting via a device doesn’t work for everyone, but it will help some families stay in touch.”
DR UK Head of Policy Fazilet Hadi said: “The Minister is right about the pain of social isolation disabled people in care homes have experienced since the pandemic started. We have been hearing since March about care homes which have refused visitation rights, even once shielding was removed and the government was allowing the public to mix freely with social distancing measures in place. These tablets are a placebo for face to face contact. And for many, they will be a bitter pill. Nothing replaces face to face contact. The government needs to provide care homes with clear guidance on how to facilitate face to face visits where it is safe to do so. Denying people human contact with loved ones has serious impacts on mental health.”