Biggleswade Care Home Set To Welcome Festive Visits As Garden ‘Pod’ Opens In Time For Christmas

Beaumont Park nursing home on Shortmead Street, Biggleswade, has opened a special garden-based  ‘visitor pod’ in time for Christmas, which provides a safe space for relatives to visit their loved ones.

The purpose-built wooden cabin, which residents have named the “Inn on the Park”, is situated in the communal garden at the home and provides a warm place for relatives to visit residents whilst Covid-19 continues to pose a risk across the country.

Having taken a tough decision to cease all but essential or compassionate exceptional visits inside the home prior to the national lockdown in March, Healthcare Homes Group, which operates Beaumont Park, has researched additional ways to keep residents connected with family members.

The answer has been to create temporary garden pod structures, which are equipped with two separate entrances, a Perspex screen to separate visitors from residents and an intercom to make communicating easy. The rooms are also equipped with heating when required, insulation and nurse call buttons, for added comfort.

Now, residents are able to spend treasured time with their loved ones whilst keeping safe and warm. Resident Harry Spring was happy to ‘cut the ribbon’ to mark the pod’s official opening.

Patricia Burton, National Operations Manager for Beaumont Park said; “Our visitor pod is such a fantastic addition to the home. During the festive season, it’s even more important for us to find ways to keep a sense of connection between our residents and their relatives, over and above video or telephone calls.  Having this warm, inviting and safe space in the garden is just fantastic and offers our residents the opportunity to see their loved ones, without worry.

“I sincerely hope our residents and their loved ones enjoy using the pod for some special time, both now and in the future.”