Covid 19 coronavirus: Life inside Gladys Mary care home, Napier, which has three cases

Carole Ewart used to visit her sister at Bupa's Gladys Mary Care Home in Napier nearly every day.

Now she's unable to reassure her in person after Covid-19 spread through the retirement village.

The care home has three of the 16 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Hawke's Bay. On Wednesday there were 708 cases nationwide.

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Two of the residents were close contacts of a resident at the home previously confirmed to have coronavirus.

Care residents cannot meet family and vice versa, part of a strict regime at all NZ rest homes to try to stop Covid-19 infecting our most vulnerable.

But as Ewart has found, once it is in, that lockdown is all the more challenging.

Bupa says the residents are being well managed in the rest home with all the necessary infection, prevention and control measures in place.

But it means Ewart is now limited to phone conversations, and updates from her older sister, who she's in a constant state of worry about.

"Our sister has been at the home a little over a year, and she just turned 70. The staff are all lovely there and they treat her really well," Ewart said.

"But she got dementia really early and she had epilepsy too. We used to see her every day and now we can't. That's the hardest.

"She used to sit at the window waiting for us, now she cries for me."

Ewart has nine siblings. Her sister in the care home has six children and many grandchildren.

"There is 11 months between us. She lived opposite my house for 18 years, but we had to move her because of her epilepsy," she said.

"We are all missing her. It's really hard because we see each other every day."

As well as the potential spread of the virus Ewart is also worried about how the lockdown and everything it entails will affect her sister's dementia.

"Little things upset her routine and Covid-19 is upsetting her routine, it can be quite distressing.

"I also don't know what's going to happen, we can't see her. She's the wellest one in the rest home but it still a worrying time."

Ewart was just glad her sister was being well looked after and understood the staff were having a hard time too.

"No one knows what's going to happen."

Managing director of Bupa Villages and Aged Care New Zealand Carolyn Cooper said they were continuing to support the three residents through their recovery.

"Our staff continue to follow the strict infection, prevention and control measures that were swiftly put in place at the time of our first resident being tested for Covid-19 including use of personal protective equipment and hygiene measures," Cooper said.

"Everyone at the care home is in good spirits and we have an extra laptop and extra mobile phones at the care home to help continue the connection with families of residents.

"We thank all residents' families as we comply with Ministry of Health requirements to stop visitor access to our care homes.

"We understand this is challenging but we ask for everyone's patience and understanding."

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website