Families of care home residents feel 'let down' amid political row

A County Antrim man who can only visit his father once a week in his care home says the recent political fallout from the Bobby Storey funeral has left many families angry.

David Clarke's Dad David (Senior) has dementia and is in a care home in County Antrim.

David can currently only visit for one hour per week as part of COVID-19 infection control measures.

He told Downtown Cool FM it is 'heartbreaking' for people who are abiding by the rules as care partners for their loved ones:

"I just find it so tragic and so heartbreaking that in the middle of a global pandemic a basic right to be able to see your parent, in maybe the last chapter of their life is being denied.

"And yet it seems that others can do as they please and I do think it undermines the credibility of the messages coming from the Executive whenever people who should be leading by example are not."

He added: "Going to that funeral in those numbers did breach the Covid regulations and yet we have been expected to abide the regulations set by the lawmakers yet they can go and break them and our loved ones are suffering as a result."

He is calling for visiting restrictions in care homes to be relaxed now that all residents and most carers have had their vaccines.

Downtown Cool FM asked Health Minister Robin Swann if there are any plans in place.

Mr Swann said: "Care home and hospital visiting is all based on what alert level the UK is, currently we are on alert level four, when we move down another alert level that opens up the possibility of more visiting also in care homes but across our hospital sector as well."