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Italian care home's 'hugging room' eased Covid isolation in 2020
In November 2020, as Covid-19 restrictions left elderly residents cut off from loved ones, a nursing home in northern Italy unveiled a transparent plastic barrier allowing safe physical contact-offering a rare moment of warmth amid months of isolation.
The loneliness crisis in care homes
By late 2020, Italy's care facilities had endured nearly a year of strict lockdowns after the virus devastated elderly populations, particularly in the north. Video calls provided some relief, but virtual interactions fell short of human touch. Operators sought solutions to bridge the gap without risking infections.
A plastic barrier for embraces
The Domenico Sartor nursing home in Castelfranco Veneto transformed a sunlit room into a "hugging space," installing a floor-to-ceiling plastic sheet with armholes. Visitors could finally hold relatives-separated by the screen but united in physical presence. Photographer Max Cavallari, covering the story for Italy's Ansa news agency, described the scene as surreal yet deeply moving.
"It was the first time in nine months they'd seen their parents. Even through plastic, you could feel the emotions-the warmth, the temperature."
Max Cavallari, photographer
Beyond a dystopian fix
Cavallari, who had avoided visiting his own parents for fear of transmission, noted the room's stark contrast to its purpose: a bright, glass-walled space that evoked sci-fi isolation yet delivered genuine connection. "It wasn't a perfect solution," he said, "but it was something."
Legacy of pandemic innovations
While vaccines later eased restrictions, the concept endured. In the UK, Chandler's Ford's Valley Lodge Care Home introduced a "cuddle bed" with adjustable barriers, letting residents lie beside loved ones. Manager Rebecca Stephenson called it a way to reclaim "precious moments of closeness."
What began as a stopgap may now redefine long-term care, proving that even temporary fixes can address enduring human needs.
