She kept her care home coronavirus free as the deadly pandemic swept the county.

But while she fought to keep her 30 residents safe, care home manager Elizabeth Meroniuk was facing personal heartache.

Lockdown meant 70-year-old Elizabeth has been unable to see her husband of 48 years, Jim, as he remained trapped thousands of miles away in Greece.

Elizabeth is the manager of Wellburn House, in Ovingham, Northumberland, which is home to 30 elderly people who live with dementia.

As coronavirus began to arrive in Britain, Wellburn Care Homes locked down early, helping avoid the deadly outbreaks which have claimed many lives in care homes. But vigilance is still needed.

Elizabeth said: "As it grew, we were thinking, oh my goodness, we have got to make sure we are doing this right. We started doing the deep cleans, getting extra staff: the company were excellent at getting us what we needed.

"It was very hard work, very stressful when it started. But everyone was prepared for what had to happen, they all agreed they would stay in the home if we did have an outbreak.

"It's not over yet and that's what we've got to keep in mind, we've still got a duty of care to make sure nobody comes in: even doctors and nurses who have to come in come to two isolated rooms to see patients; if there's a delivery, it's left on the doorstep.

"With the residents, we involved them in what was happening, we got them to come and listen to the news to help them understand what was happening with coronavirus, why their families could see them through the windows but couldn't visit. And Wellburn set up Zoom for us so that people could still see their families."

To add to the challenge, Elizabeth's husband Jim had left for the couple's second home in Greece two weeks before lockdown was announced. She was set to join him in March - but international travel was banned before she could fly, leaving the couple trapped thousands of miles apart.

Elizabeth Meroniuk, who runs Wellburn House residential care home in Ovingham, Northumberland, pictured with chair Rachel Beckett (left)
Elizabeth Meroniuk, who runs Wellburn House residential care home in Ovingham, Northumberland, pictured with chair Rachel Beckett (left)

She said: "We've been married for 48 years and this is the longest time we've been apart from each other.

"We had our wedding anniversary while he was over there, and the home put on a great big party for us, the residents were involved in organising it, and it was absolutely wonderful.

"I've had four different flights cancelled to get out to see him. I'm booked for one on July 17 and I hope I'll finally get there."

Personal challenges aside, it's been "difficult" to help people living with dementia understand exactly why things have changed so much, Elizabeth admitted, but while ensuring safety measures like PPE are in place, staff have also been working to keep residents as happy and engaged with the life of the home as possible.

Vital safety measures like hand washing have been turned into games and songs for the residents who find it hard to remember them, while some residents have taken to wearing PPE like their carers wear, helping them all feel on the same team.

"To try to keep 30 residents with dementia entertained and happy while you're keeping them safe is important: I would book singers to come and perform outside the home, we've had puppet shows and clowns as well," she said.

"We want to make sure they still feel part of the world.

"It's been very challenging, but I would do it all over again. It's been exceptionally hard work but I'm proud of our home, I'm proud of the staff, I'm proud of our residents."