institutions where psychologists were employed before the pandemic, even part-time, the residents were more likely to use their support because they already knew the persons and trusted them. Even if the contacts were not direct, it was easier to initiate them. On the other hand, some institutions informed that residents were not interested in support provided by psychologists. Most often, however, this was the case in the homes where the residents had no regular contacts with psychologists before, and where during the pandemic the only initiative was to display a telephone number of a psychologist who could be contacted (and whose services were provided ad-hoc, within programmes initiated by relevant local governments). For senior or mentally ill persons, establishing a telephone contact with a person they did not know was a strong barrier in itself. Easing of restrictions As in other areas of life, at some point also care facilities decided to ease the restrictions. Recommendations in this regard were presented by voivodeship governors. The Mazowieckie Voivodeship Governor did it already on 5 June 2020340, requesting local governments to undertake, jointly with the social care home directors, steps aimed at enabling the residents to be active outside the homes, and to maintain contacts with their families, carers or other persons. The voivodeship governor's decision was also communicated to the owners of private 24-hour care facilities operating in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship. Only in the Śląskie and Podlaskie voivodeships the sanitary regime introduced in March 2020 was maintained. The SCH area could be left while maintaining the sanitary regime (use of a face mask, social distancing and use of had disinfectants)341, the SCH could be left under the supervision of a staff member342, tests were conducted for the residents who came back from the family home or a hospital343, visits were received in compliance with the sanitary regime, e.g. through meetings outdoors or prior to a telephone announcement, the number of people meeting was limited, body temperature of visitors was checked with a non-contact thermometer, records of people who visited residents were kept, mas wearing, hands disinfection and frequent opening of windows in the rooms was still required; at some places where the meetings took place there were glass/plexi-glass separation panels. Notably, voivodeship governors emphasized that final decisions regarding the easing of restrictions and the related procedures should be taken by the authorities operating the homes, in 340 Decision No. WPS.9421.76.2020 of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship Governor. Governors of the following Voivodeships: Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Lubelskie, Dolnośląskie, KujawskoPomorskie, Wielkopolskie. 341 342 Zachodnipomorskie Voivodeship. 343 Lubuskie Voivodeship Governor reported that residents of some homes travelled to their family homes. Upon their return, they were quarantined and tested. Łódzkie Voivodeship Governor informed that after reducing the restrictions, it some internal procedures should be developed to regulate, e.g. residents’ holidays from the SCHs, visiting relatives, admitting new residents, residents’ return from clinics or hospitals, and precautions to be taken in specific situations. 130