To help stop the spread of COVID-19, visitors to senior care facilities are restricted. With the holiday season at hand, a memory care facility in Springfield is switching things up to keep residents connected.
Elder Health and Living Memory Care Village takes care of people with cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s. Medical Director Liz von Wellsheim said ending visits has been hard on their 95 residents -- especially during the holidays. But much to her surprise— many have taken to using Facetime and ZOOM.
“If you make an intentional visit with a family member and one of the residents,” said von Wellsheim, “and put headphones on them and they see their daughter and they’re talking to them and they can hear them and they’re looking at their face. And they’re touching the screen. I mean, it’s sheer joy.”
Von Wellheim said they’ll have to forego the traditional van rides to look at Christmas lights. This year, they’ll have a light show at their park. Then afterward, it’s hot cocoa and caroling, of course.
Elder Health and Living Memory Care Village has not been spared during the pandemic. The facility has seen two COVID-19 outbreaks since September and has lost residents to the virus.
