ELDERLY residents, some who have not seen their grandchildren for months, are looking forward to being reunited with their families in special covid-secure visiting pods.

Bakewells Care Home in Ladybridge has installed special luxury pods so residents can once again enjoy visits from their families safely in person.

The pod is divided by a glass screen and families can see each other and talk discreetly to each other via an intercom system.

A special sanitising unit is in place to clean the pod and kill any potential infection after the visit is over, and the room is vacated.

And neither 'party' needs to don PPE which can sometimes cause confusion for those with cognitive impairments.

Managing director Andrew Morgan said: "We have just received the furniture and the residents are looking forward to using it - however, because we are in tier 3 we cannot use it yet.

"But the care sector is lobbying nationally for families to be able to visit in this way, because they are covid secure and safe."

He said the cleanliness was just one step away from that seen in a surgical setting.

He added:"The residents here are upbeat and the team here have worked hard to keep resident in touch with their families over Zoom but it is not the same ­— some of our residents have not seen their grandchildren or great-children for a long time.

"The visiting pods mean they can now do so safely, but we just cannot use them yet."

Mr Morgan said health and safety of staff and residents is a number one priority and hence the investment into the luxury heated pods.

Mr Morgan said: "Physical wellbeing is important but so is mental health, this way families can see each other in a safely. No one knows how long we are going to be in this situation for."

He said the first resident to use the visiting pod, when allowed, will be Winifred Burgoyne, who marked her 109th birthday in August.