New guidance on visiting has come in for nursing homes residents today, who'll get two visits per week.
Sage Advocacy is welcoming the move.
From today nursing home residents can have two visits per week on general compassionate grounds, once there's a high level of vaccination in the facility
There is no requirement to limit each visit to less than one hour.
Sage Advocacy says the country's 30,000 nursing home residents and their families are looking forward to safe, meaningful reunions together.
It says visiting arrangements have been a key issue since last March when Covid-19 was first reported in nursing homes.
Since then, residents have had limited or often no contact at all with their loved ones.
It says the new guidance today is a very welcome first step and it's urging nursing homes to respect and comply with the latest guidance.