HITCHIN, England (UK) – British care home residents embrace technology to keep in touch with friends and family. This comes as the country faces the possibility of weeks of lockdown amid the coronavirus epidemic.
Video-calling is a foreign concept to 84-year-old Minnie Copping who is a Foxholes Care Home resident in Hertfordshire, north of London.
“It’s absolutely marvellous because she’s my best daughter. I’ve only got one, mind you, but she’s the best daughter I’ve ever had.
– Minnie Copping, resident at Foxholes Care Home
Copping seemed escatic after a 10-minute, laughter-filled online chat with her daughter Sandra.
“Oh it’s so, so reassuring for all of us, all the family. Just to be able to see her and know that she’s happy. It just makes our lives so much easier because if you haven’t got the contact, the normal contact, you feel lost.”
– Sandra Copping, daughter of Minnie Copping
Foxholes invested in the Facebook Portal system for easier use of video-calling for the residents aged between 50 to close to 100 years.
“Some people will get a phone call but they can’t hear their family member at the end of that line so for them to be actually able to see that face and see their lips moving is really, really important.”
– Suzie Strange, Deputy Manager at Foxholes Care Home
On Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered Britons to stay home while advising shops to down their shutters and put a stop to all social gatherings to curb the coronavirus spread.
The restrictions are expected to last for a minimum of three weeks to prevent the overwhelming of the National Health Service.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.