A Wishaw woman enjoyed a family reunion with her dad after 12 months as a ban on indoor care home visits was lifted.
Margaret Scott and her family have been unable to see dad Thomas Rowley since last March due to Covid restrictions.
Since then the family have been keeping in contact with Mr Rowley through the windows of Netherton Care Home.
However, with indoor visiting of Lanarkshire’s care home residents now resumed, Margaret was given the chance to reunite with her dad and hug him for the first time in a year.
Margaret’s daughter Nicola Allan said: “It was an emotional day for all of us but especially for my mum and grandad.
“You are now allowed to have up to two separate designated visitors once a week so my uncle Alan is able to visit him as well. It’s been really tough because we have just been seeing him through the window.
“My mum was given a test before getting to see my grandad and she said it was the longest half-hour of her life while she was waiting on the results.
“She was able to go into his room and chat to him. She didn’t know she was allowed to hug him and I think they were both in tears.
“We were so glad that the care home staff were able to take pictures and as soon as I saw them I was in tears myself.”
Initially care homes will be asked to introduce meaningful contact by supporting up to two designated visitors per resident, once a week.
Care homes will work with residents and visitors to agree the duration of visits in the early stages.
Nicola and her family can’t praise the staff at Netherton enough and believes having visitors return is just a small part of normality returning.
She added: “The staff have been amazing. They have been great with all the families I think.
“We have been in constant contact with my grandad so that’s helped.
“It’s a huge moment for all of us. These run of the mill things have been taken granted and they won’t be again. It might only be a wee thing but my mum hugging my grandad has just given all of us a glimmer of hope.”
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