Elderly care homes can receive visitors without Perspex barrier from 18 June

People will be allowed to visit elderly relatives in care homes from 18 June without having to stay behind a Perspex, the government has announced.

Visits will still have to take place in a designated area with enough space to allow a distance of two metres between visitors and residents.

Every resident is allowed two visitors and visits will have to be by appointment.

The relaxation of measures was communicated by the parliamentary secretariat for the elderly on Wednesday, which disseminated the instructions issued to care homes by the Social Care Standards Authority.

Elderly residents will also be allowed to socialise in common areas and visit different floors in the same home.

From 1 July, older persons will be allowed to go out from residential homes.

The new measures were drafted in consultation with the health authorities.

The government said the circular does not apply to Saint Vincent De Paul Residence. It applies to government, church and private homes for older persons.