All Radius Care facilities around the country are restricting visitors' access to help protect the rest home chain's elderly residents from Covid-19.
Residents' movements outside facilies are also restricted to urgent outings. Photo: 123RF
In a letter to families, chief executive Brien Cree said the organisation was taking this precaution to keep loved ones safe and healthy and limit the spread of coronavirus.
"In response to the risks facing the people in our care, Radius Care will limit visits from anyone who is not a staff member or resident of its 22 facilities across New Zealand from today," he said.
"I appreciate that this precaution may be distressing to you. Be assured we are taking this precaution to keep your loved ones safe and healthy."
He told RNZ exceptions will be made case-by-case and residents' movement outside its facilities are also restricted to urgent outings.
Radius Care's villages are home to more than 1700 elderly and disabled residents.
Cree said they are monitoring the situation daily.
Each week, Riki Terrain travels from Auckland to visit her 94-year-old mother at a Radius facility in Tauranga.
"It helps my mother's morale to see me and I think they've taken this option too soon," she said.