It  has been a tough and unusual year for residents of nursing homes and their loved ones.

The good news is that Brevillier village retirement home is becoming one of the first in our area to allow in-person visits to begin again, starting this Wednesday.

Colleen Gomolekoff said it’s been a tough winter, only getting to visit her mother through the glass windows.

“It’s been kind of hard not being able to actually be in the same room as her, and talk to her, and show her how much I love her,” Gomolekoff said.

That won’t be the case in just a few days. She is scheduled for her first in-person visit on Friday afternoon.

“I can’t wait,” she said.

Appointments have to be scheduled and each resident can have one visitor a day. This is all possible because roughly 95% of the residents at Brevillier Village are fully vaccinated.

“It’s proving that our hard work here and in the community, that we are getting through this together,” Maureen Rizzo, the director of development at Brevillier said. “It’s a lot of hope.”

There are specific rules for these upcoming visitations. A conference room will be set aside with a 6 foot table and a plexiglas divider for half an hour visits per resident.

“That is because we want all the residents to have time with their family members,” Rizzo said. “Each time a meeting takes place, the room is then thoroughly cleaned.”

If the resident is fully vaccinated, they'll wear a mask and gloves for the visit. If they aren’t vaccinated, they'll wear full PPE gear, including a gown, mask, gloves, and face shield. The same goes with visitors.

“Getting the vaccine is helpful to the residents here,” Rizzo said.
Visitors must show proof if they are vaccinated. This director hopes each resident gets a visitor so that they can have that human connection they have been longing for.

A full list of visitor guidelines can be found on Brevillier Village’s website or by clicking here.