Retirement home in Belgium offers 'hug curtain' for safe embrace

Residents of a Belgian retirement home are able to soothe the pain of social distancing measures imposed by the coronavirus pandemic by embracing their loved ones through a ‘hug curtain’.

A large plastic curtain on June 14 at the Jardins de Picardie nursing home has proven very popular with the residents, who had not been allowed any visitors for 11 weeks.

The curtain, decorated with flowers and bright colours, is made of a big plastic sheet with two pockets on each side where residents and visitors or staff insert their arms.

After each use, nurses carefully disinfect the plastic curtain.

Lili Hendrickx, an 86-year old resident of the home, told Reuters the curtain was “the most beautiful invention” she had ever seen.

“It’s terribly emotional for me,” she said, adding that she cried the first time she was able to hug her daughter again.

Visitors were equally enthusiastic.

“The fact that you can meet your loved ones again, it’s a real pleasure, especially physically and emotionally, it feels good,” said Amandine Josefiak, 35, who had come to visit her father at the home.