A resident at Eastlake and her husband, who were kept apart during the Coronavirus pandemic, were reunited just in time for their wedding anniversary, thanks to the introduction of garden visits at the care home.

Maria Lukazewicz, 94, is living with dementia and has been a resident at Eastlake since 2018. She has one son with her husband Stan, who lives nearby. The couple have two grandchildren.

Stan regularly visited Maria before the pandemic, however those visits were put on hold when all non-essential visits to care homes were stopped in March. This meant staying in touch with one another was challenging, with Maria and other residents having to rely on technology such as iPads and Facebook portals to communicate.

With the restrictions being eased, the home reintroduced visits in a safe way, and following careful planning are now able to allow families to see their loved ones face to face from a safe distance in the garden.

For Maria and Stan, this meant they could reunite just in time for their 71st wedding anniversary.

Maria said: "It was really lovely to see Stan on our wedding anniversary. I was worried I wouldn't be able to see him, but my dream has come true!"

Stan was equally happy to see his wife, saying: "I was really worried when lockdown began, I didn't know when I would see Maria again. However, it seems that fate really wanted us together for our anniversary."

Eastlake manager Linda Grout said: "We're delighted to be able to allow families to see their loved ones again. It's not been easy these past few months, but my team have been incredible in keeping everything together and keeping everyone happy.

"Despite the difficulties, it has been really special being able to see everyone so happy to be reunited.

"Maria has been a beacon of joy for all of us, and we are so glad to have been able to see her and her husband celebrate their wedding anniversary."