'It's really good to see you': Couple reunites after months apart as some nursing homes allow visitors again
'We're happy. And that's what it's all about.'
'We're happy. And that's what it's all about.'
'We're happy. And that's what it's all about.'
Dick and Susan Williams hadn't seen each other in-person for eight months until Wednesday afternoon when they were reunited at Hillcrest Country Estates in Papillion, Nebraska.
"It's good, I'm glad we're back together. It's been a long eight months," said Dick Williams.
Dr. Tony Hatcher, the chief medical officer at Hillcrest Health, told sister station KETV that 96% of their residents are COVID-19 vaccinated along with over 80% of employees at all campuses.
He said with high vaccination rates like that and a drop in county COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, nursing homes like Hillcrest can allow visitors again.
The Williams' daughter, Margaret Skradski, said she's so happy to have her family together.
"The two-minute phone call does not make up for that actual interaction," she said.
Every day since July, Williams would pick up his wife's favorite mocha from Starbucks and drop it off at the facility.
"I figured that was about the only thing I could do to stay in touch with her that she'd recognize something," he said.
Now he can deliver it in person and sit by Susan's side.
"We're happy. And that's what it's all about," Williams said.
There's still a chance visitations could be halted again. That could happen if campuses see COVID-19 cases among residents or if the county's positivity rate or hospitalizations rise.
Hatcher said they're thrilled seniors are able to visit loved ones again but said they're still being careful.
"We really can't afford for someone to bring the virus into these facilities even though we've got the high vaccination rates. It certainly can spread and we really don't know about the variants that are out there and how well the vaccine works against those, so there's still some concern and hesitation about the visitation but we know it's the right thing to do for these people," he said.
All visitors are screened when entering facilities, including temperature checks. Masks are required to be worn as well.
