CRIME writer Ian Rankin has spoken of how hard it is to see his disabled son “trapped” in a care facility because of the Covid-19 crisis.
The best-selling author said it was tough being unable to hug or touch him for almost a year because of the pandemic.
“He’s safe but it’s hard and it’s especially hard to find out that people with severe learning difficulties are not as far up the vaccine list as some might want,” Rankin told Times Radio.
“We’ve seen images on TV and we’ve heard from people about the problems they have visiting elderly relatives but there are lots of us out there that have less elderly relatives who are also in full-time care, and it’s tough on these families as well,” said Rankin.
His son Kit has a genetic condition called Angelman syndrome which means he doesn’t really understand the situation.
“Luckily he’s surrounded by staff who are looking after him 24/7 and making sure he has a pretty full life,” said Rankin. “But the families haven’t been allowed to visit much. In general we see him through a gate, we see him over the wall, there’s no touching, there’s no hugs.”
Contact had been offered through video calls but this was problematic because Kit found screens and other two dimensional items like picture books confusing.
Said Rankin: “He could hear our voices but then he was just confused because then where were we? Why were we not giving him a hug sitting next to him?
“It was working for some of the people in his facility but it wasn’t really helpful for him.
“Last summer when he was being taken out into the garden a lot we said if we came and looked over the wall would that be okay? And the staff consulted and said there was no problem with that.
“We moved that to looking through a gate so we were a little bit closer to him, and that’s basically been it.
“Once a week we trot along and stand one side of a big iron gate while he sits in his wheelchair on the other side, and at least we feel like we’re kind of together.”
Rankin said Kit had hardly been outside the care facility apart from a visit home at Christmas.
“He’s been trapped in this care facility since last February. It’s getting on for a year now,” he said.
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