For 56 days, the coronavirus pandemic kept Howard Smith apart from Lois Kittson, his wife of half a century. Their separation ended this week with a short but stirring reunion – at a safe distance – outside her nursing home in upstate New York 1/4
Activity Director Samantha Cerero checks on Lois, a 77-year-old Alzheimer's patient, at the New Paltz Center nursing facility during a first time visit with her husband, Howard Smith, since lockdowns due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Pine Bush, New York, U.S., May 5, 2020. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs
Lois, whose illness has taken away her ability to speak, smiled several times and made faint noises. It is her way of communicating joy, Howard said. Across the country, the facilities that house more than 1.5 million vulnerable seniors have been in lockdown since March. Banning visitation is meant to keep the virus at bay, but for loved ones, it’s been a painful separation. During normal times, family visits are a vital part of weekly routines for many residents, including those with dementia like Lois.
In addition, nursing homes in New York and elsewhere are introducing new measures to ensure residents and staff can all be tested for the coronavirus. New York also now requires nursing home operators to inform families when residents at a facility have tested positive. To date, the New Paltz Center facility has reported no cases of COVID-19.
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