COVID-19 Update

We will always follow the latest government advice and be guided by Public Health England and CQC in deploying the very latest strategies and medical interventions to combat the threat from this deadly virus.

During the months of February and March 2020 we put a great deal of thought and effort into how we would manage the virus and we have been lucky to have a senior nurse working at the home who had direct experience of fighting the Ebola outbreak in Africa. We have also built up strong infection control procedures on the rare occasions that Norovirus is in the local community.

When the first wave struck the home, we learnt in real-time the best methods of treating the symptoms and helping residents muster the strength to pull through. The spring and early summer of 2020 will always be remembered for the bravery, strength and professionalism of both residents and our caring team. We feel a tremendous amount of pride in our loyal team of carers and nurses, some of which have been with us since the early days with a service record stretching over thirty-five years. No amount of weekly clapping and cheering will ever come close to repaying the debt we owe the cleaners, cooks, carers, nurses, maintenance staff, receptionists and managers.

The most difficult part of this pandemic has been the pain it has caused families from having to isolate from their loved ones. Laurel Care Home’s excellent levels of care is achieved through the close relationships we have between staff, residents and their families. Our mantra ‘Sharing Family Care’ reflects this unison and as soon as it’s safe to do so, we will get our home back to this level of integration.

As we move forward into the second wave and with a promising vaccine on the horizon, we would ask the families of our residents to be as supportive and patient as they were in March. We know so much more about how to treat the virus and we have an improved testing service. We also know the vulnerability of our group of residents and that we can’t negotiate with this virus –  for some it is deadly. 

In parallel to increased weekly testing, we have deployed a raft of conferencing IT to help residents stay in touch with loved ones. Please remember that you can telephone, use facetime or write a letter to your loved one to be read aloud to them. This is all in the hope that we can celebrate Christmas with our families.

We have also organised screens to be made so when we come out of lock-down we will have a rota system and relatives will be able to come to the library and see their loved ones.  We know it will be behind a screen, but it will be in the warmth of the library and hopefully, some long overdue family time can be spent.

We look forward to getting back where we want to be, in step with the wishes of residents and families and welcoming you back into the caring team.