GREEN RIVER — With most facilities are closed to the public, finding ways to communicate is becoming more difficult.
However, thanks to some creative ideas, Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center residents are communicating with loved ones, through glass windows, video chats or on the phone.
Heidi Schuh, CRRC activities director and volunteer coordinator, said since the building has stopped allowing visitors to come into the building due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus, they are changing the way residents communicate.
Schuh said family members and friends are now using phones, video chats or as they call them “window visits,” instead of the normal in-person visit.
The idea for this kind of communication was a collaboration between the employees. Some of them had seen other centers using these forms of communication on Facebook and they decided to give it a try.
“Everyone is feeling a bit lonely right now. They miss their loved ones, and some people are scared (of) what the future holds,” Schuh said. “It’s important to keep their spirits up and to keep life as normal as it can be.”
Even though it takes a little bit of planning to accomplish these visiting sessions, it’s worth it.
Arlene Patterson and her husband, Larry.Erin 
Jackie Brown and her grandson, Jon Belcher. 
Ernie Blunk talks to his son on the phone. 
Alex Juancorena communicates his daughter Tina. All photos courtesy of The Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center. 
Al Bowden is video chatting with his Daughter Denise Welch.
“We are scheduling times so we can keep social distance, and not have everyone show up at one time,” Schuh said.
All a family member has to do is contact Schuh and she’ll set up the video chat or window visit.
“At this point, anything is better than nothing,” Schuh said. “Families get to see their family member and assure each other they are doing OK. Just seeing and talking with each other is uplifting. It’s reassuring to both parties.”
The window visits are conducted in the front foyer where the center has the most windows, but sometimes they take place in the resident’s room. It all depends on the family.
Not only are the residents and the families happy with the arrangement, so are the employees.
“It’s also uplifting for our care partners to see the joy on the residents’ faces when they get to visit with their families,” Schuh said. “It gives them a sense of reassurance also.”
