Read on Twitter
This is heartbreaking.
We& #39;re caught between the potential loss of lives if covid gets into a care home & the actual loss of living while we deprive residents of contact with their beloveds.
It seems there are only 2 answers, & both are wrong:
1. Allow visiting
2. Ban visiting
1/ https://twitter.com/JohnCampaign/status/1305255178065543169">https://twitter.com/JohnCampa...
We& #39;re caught between the potential loss of lives if covid gets into a care home & the actual loss of living while we deprive residents of contact with their beloveds.
It seems there are only 2 answers, & both are wrong:
1. Allow visiting
2. Ban visiting
1/ https://twitter.com/JohnCampaign/status/1305255178065543169">https://twitter.com/JohnCampa...
What 3rd way could we imagine?
How do we reconcile one family& #39;s acceptance of risk in order to visit, with another family& #39;s right to minimise risk?
If only we knew #WhatMattersMost to these individuals.
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How do we reconcile one family& #39;s acceptance of risk in order to visit, with another family& #39;s right to minimise risk?
If only we knew #WhatMattersMost to these individuals.
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If we had a clear understanding of #WhatMattersMost to individual care home residents, we could consider & #39;low risk& #39; strategies in some areas: no visitors for those whose length of life matters most to them.
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We could use our understanding of #WhatMattersMost to residents of care homes where contact with beloveds trumps all other considerations, to create facilities to receive visitors. Yes, there& #39;s a risk. Our task is to minimise risk AND enhance wellbeing.
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This tension between valuing life expectancy & enabling quality of life in our aged or most vulnerable citizens needs compassionate, nuanced discussion. #COVID19 will be with us for a long time. These dear people are suffering loneliness & emotional deprivation right now.
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Visits from beloveds enable people with cognitive impairment to locate themselves in love & companionship. This is as important as eating to their wellbeing.
Preserving life in incarcerated isolation can rarely be in their best interests.
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Preserving life in incarcerated isolation can rarely be in their best interests.
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I don& #39;t know the answer to the conundrum of whether it& #39;s more important to save life or to live well. It will vary between individuals & opinion is divided within families.
But we need to open the discussion.
Nicci Gerard and @JohnCampaign are leading the way.
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But we need to open the discussion.
Nicci Gerard and @JohnCampaign are leading the way.
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