Assisted living facility installs visitor booth for residents after five months of isolation
KATY, Texas (KTRK) -- Janet Oldag said her 100-plus residents at Veranda House Assisted Living in Katy have been so sad and lonely, its heartbreaking.
"Ever since COVID-19 started in March, we've been on lockdown and it has been so hard on our residents," said Janet Oldag.
They have been patiently waiting to see if restrictions would be lifted but nothing has changed.
"They want to see their families. They have been depressed about it," she said.
After talking to her husband, and mentioning that everyone feels like a prisoner in their own home, she had an idea.
"Well, we're in prison. Let's make a little box that they can go in and visit since were on lockdown," she said jokingly.
She presented her vision to the maintenance team. That vision became a reality when an enclosed visitation box was brought to life.
For the first time, resident Jared Gould will be able to see his mother closer than he has in many months. He's safely escorted from the facility right into the sanitized booth.
His mother, Pam, waited outside at a safe distance until she is finally waved over to see her son.
"Hi sweetheart," she said.
Through the plexi-glass and with help from a monitor, residents and loved ones will finally be able to see more of each other. This is exactly what the owner was hoping for.
"These residents need this and this is just a little light today," said the owner.
Soon enough, other residents and loved ones will get this same experience. It will be the most face-to-face contact they've had in the last 5 months.
"We're excited. The residents are excited. There is just so much support for us through this whole COVID," she said.
