A CARE home in the area is set to open an inventive way to allow residents to be visited by their families at the home, while keeping everyone there safe from Covid-19.

Claremont House in Heckmondwike will be opening its new wellbeing garden pod, to be built in the care home grounds, in the coming weeks.

It means residents at the Kirklees Council-operated home – which specialises in Alzheimer’s and dementia care will be able to be visited by family in a safe, secure setting.

Residents will meet their family in the bio-secure pod, which will feature comfy seating, floor to ceiling windows, desk space and wheelchair access. This will keep visitors away from the main building and other residents and allow them to see their loved ones in a safe, secure setting.

Families have been unable to visit their loved ones in care homes since lockdown began in March to protect the vulnerable residents from Covid-19, meaning many have had to go months without physically seeing their families.

This isolation and loneliness can have a detrimental impact on the mental health of elderly people, especially those with degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia which affect the memory.

Kirklees Council said: “In light of the current Coronavirus situation, the garden pod will provide a temporary facility for the resident to meet their family member.

“Following the Covid crisis, it’s intended the unit will remain on site for the general benefit of the residents at Claremont House.

“The Council recognises the impact of relatives not being able to access the main building to meet their family member.

“The garden pod will provide a safer facility outside the main home for such visits and eventually reduce the risk of infection that will harm other residents in the care unit.

“As far as we are aware, it complies with the permitted development and will provide a long-term benefit for current and future residents at the home.

“We will review the impact of the pod on residents, families and staff, and also measure their effectiveness from an infection control perspective, before we take any further decisions to install these in the other Council run residential homes.”

Once the country is out of lockdown and things return to normal, the garden pod will remain as a relaxing outdoor space for residents to enjoy a break away from the inside of the home.

The flat-pack pod can be be built and ready to use in less than three days. It is expected to be up and ready to use by mid-September. The opening has been delayed by local lockdown restrictions in Kirklees.

Councillor Musarrat Khan, cabinet member for health and social care at Kirklees Council, said:“I am delighted about the Wellbeing Pods for our care homes.

“We recognise the mental health impact of the coronavirus lockdown and how it has been particularly difficult for our elderly residents in care homes.

“Face-to-face contact was halted to prevent the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable residents from becoming ill.

“These pods will enable residents to see their loved ones again in a safe manner which will be a huge boost to their mental wellbeing.”

A second pod is also being installed at Castle Grange care home in Newsome, Huddersfield.