Visiting from a Distance

KIMT News 3's Isabella Basco caught up with a family refusing to let the pandemic keep them apart

Consider the action./// corona stinger for months family members were forced to visit their loved ones in nursing homes while looking through a pane of glass.

But the minnesota department of health recognized the negative effects of social isolation and updated their guidelines for vistation at long term care facilities.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco caught up with one family refusing to let the pandemic tear them apart.

Isabella.

George and katie ?

"* here ?

"* river bend assisted living ?

"* you no longer have to visit your relative through a window.

Now ?

"* you can visit them outside but you must maintain social distancing... wear a mask and staff members have to be present.

One family tells me they have had to adapt ?

"* but love knows no boundaries.

Nat: "is it nice to be outside, dad?

"yeah, it's beautiful."

Meet the mestad family.

Today ?

"* they are visiting their patriarch ?

"* 91?

"*year old sterling mestad.

"we're pretty laidback, pretty easygoing, very connected."

Nat: "sitting here, getting really tan."

"are you getting a savage tan as well?"

Several times a week ?

"* his son... granddaughte r and great?

"* grandson make the effort to visit him.

"i think initially you want to hug him, touch him, and do all the things you normally do.

It's just a little different not being able to do that."

Maintaining consistency is important for sterling's health.

He doesn't just want his family ?

"* he relies on his family.

"it's difficult to comprehend what's happening, it definitely contributes to some anxiety."

That's why the mestads adapt.

"coming up with new adaptations and more cell phone calls, possibly electronic, virtual connections, as well as just stopping outside."

In a pandemic ?

"* love doesn't die.

What changes is the way we express it.

"i don't think anything goes away ?

"* you just have to modify it to continue the river bend assisted living can have up to 3 families visiting at a time.

Under the minnesota department of health guidelines... facilities have to establish a schedule for visitation hours.

Live in rochester ib kimt news 3.

Thanks isabella.

River bend has 60 residents in assited living and allow