Senior living residents reflect on two years since COVID restrictions
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- This week marks two years since Ohio started experiencing the first of the COVID-19 related restrictions, and some of the first to bear the brunt of the pandemic were senior living facilities.
Residents at Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber remember the time well.
"Quite a ride," Dick Wires, an independent living resident, said.
Wires said he lived at Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber on Neil Avenue for about a year when the pandemic started. Now, two of his three years there have been during the pandemic.
Fellow independent living resident Dorothy Blom also remembers the uncertain feelings she had two years ago.
“What a time, what a time, we just didn’t know what to expect," Blom said.
Over at Ohio Living Westminster-Thurber's assisted living facility, Court Hall had just moved from independent living to assisted living around March of 2020.
He said he is glad in person visits are back but also found ways to stay busy over the past couple years.
"We don't have a whole lot of choice," he said when asked if he was rolling with the punches.
When face-to-face visits were not allowed, many remember the window visits, Facetimes and Zoom calls.
Wires and Blom spent a lot of time on Zoom with family and other residents. Wires said it was a huge help, but nothing beats the in-person visits.
"It's much better for sure. You can’t replace a hug with a Zoom, and those first hugs, they were memorable because it had been a long, long time," Wires said. "And now of course, we can get together on a quite regular basis and that helps a lot."
When visits were eased back in there were all kinds of limitations for visitors. Now, guests just have to do a symptom check and wear masks.
Two years in, Blom said getting to where we are now has been a long time coming.
Blom and Wires give a lot of credit to the staff for helping them get to this point.
“All I can say is hallelujah," Blom said.