With the surge in COVID cases and hospitalizations, the Powell Valley Care Center has once again had to cease most face-to-face visitation. With the holidays, it’s an especially difficult time for the residents to be separated from their families.

“They wish they could hug and hold hands, and they can’t. It’s definitely a challenge around here, and it just gets worse as this lasts longer and longer,” said Amy Williams, care center activity coordinator.

The center had to close to all visitors in March as the pandemic spread to Wyoming, but face-to-face visits were permitted again — with screening, masks and social distancing protocols — in the summer. This month, the facility was once again closed to visitors.

While the facility provides its residents with the equipment and software to do online visits through FaceTime, Google Duo, Facebook Messenger or Zoom, the seniors don’t easily take to the technology.

“For that generation, it doesn’t go very well. It confuses them more than it helps them,” Williams said.

Williams said there are only about three families that visit their loved ones at the care center online.

The center does allow closed window visits, where friends and family can come to a window and talk over the phone. The center provides residents with portable phones and some residents have their own cellphones.

Williams said those visits go fairly well, especially when the visitors schedule ahead of time. Otherwise, it can be difficult for staff to get organized and accommodate the visit.                                                                                                                                          

Powell Valley Care Center staff are tested weekly and there haven’t been any positive tests in some time, said Ryan Brinkerhoff, care center director. They’ve also had no positive cases among residents during the pandemic.

Brinkerhoff said a visitation room — built with federal CARES Act money — will be open very soon. If there continues to be no positive tests among staff or residents, that room will also be available for scheduled face-to-face visits with protocols. 

In the meantime, Williams said they’re trying to keep residents occupied as much as possible with the facility’s separate units in lockdown. They recently played reindeer games, with residents tossing rings onto plastic antlers worn by staff and they had a Christmas trivia activity.

“It was a huge hit,” Williams said.

They also play regular games of bingo, and staff bring around mobile carts for residents in their rooms. It won’t replace the touch of a loved one, but with the residents in the age group most likely to develop complications from COVID, it will have to do for now.

“They want some normalcy back, but we just adapt and adjust for what we need to do,” Williams said.