BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Palms Senior Community, in NW Bakersfield, has found a new and innovative way to keep families connected, by creating plexiglass for visitors to visit residents.
Bonnie is a resident at The Palms at the San Lauren Senior community.
She hasn't been able to see her family since visitation was shut down because of COVID-19, but this weekend that change.
Thanks to an eight-foot-tall plexiglass shield, she was able to see and interact with her loved ones.
"Look at all those people and look at all those kids, I almost cried," Bonnie said.
Bonnie is one of 43 residents who call the facility home.
Erika Aguirre, a supervisor at The Palms says the families have had a tough time not being able to see the residents.
She shares they are trying to connect with them through cards and pictures left on the windows. So, they took an idea from their companies.
"Our sister companies up north are the ones, who came up with it," said Aguirre.
Aguirre says staff on-site began building the plexiglass shield last Thursday, by Friday, it was ready to use.
"They love it, I have had a lot of tears because we were able to let them visit, but of course six feet away," Aguirre said. "So, there were not able to see their family members up close."
It's been so successful they've had to come up with a schedule for families to visit.
"So far we have had many and they just started filling up so we are taking by appointment only," Aguirre said. "We do hour increments and we take 15 of those minutes to sanitize our cube, before the next family."
Bonnie tells 23ABC she has this message to her extended family who she wasn’t able to see.
"Oh, you guys are so wonderful and I love you so much," Bonnie said.
"We love our residents, but we are never going to be their families; so reach out to them and let them know you love them."
The Palms says they are thankful to report they do not have any
COVID-19 cases in their facility.
