VERSAILLES – During these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic and visitor restrictions, Versailles Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center has kept loved ones connected through technology.
Early in March, the Versailles Rehabilitation care team recognized that connecting residents and patients with family members and friends would need to be a priority as personal visits were first restricted. The center’s care professionals made a significant shift by developing ways to facilitate visits via virtual options including telephone, email, text, Skype, Facebook and Zoom.
“We implemented our iPad video call program on March 10 and haven’t looked back,” Activities Director Kim Fair said. “Our residents and patients use our iPads every day, at all times of the day, with the busiest periods being in the afternoons.”
Zoom has been popular with many Versailles family members because they can connect with multiple relatives and friends in different locations at the same time. One such family member, Terry Poling, invited five other family members in different locations to all be on a call with their mother, Miriam Poling, who is a short-term rehab patient at Versailles Rehabilitation.
Versailles long-term care resident Ruth Wirrig virtually visits with her family daily. Her granddaughter, Marissa Wirrig, talks with her grandmother almost every day.
Marissa Wirrig, who is a surgery scheduler at a major hospital in the Dayton area, has felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic both personally and professionally.
“It’s been rough not being able to be with Grandma, but it is so nice to be able to visit with her on the iPad,” she said. “I can’t wait for this all to be over, so I can hug her again!”
During such an emotional and challenging time for family members of loved ones in care centers, Marissa Wirrig offered thanks to Versailles.
“Thank you to everyone at Versailles,” she said. “From virtual visits to the Mother’s Day parade, my family and I appreciate everything.”
Fair added, “We are so thankful that our senior leadership recognized the importance of our iPad Program and ordered extra devices so we could have iPads just for our high volume of video calls.”
According to Senior Administrator Kristy Earick, Versailles Rehab is taking all necessary precautions to protect the patients, residents and staff, and, to date, no patients or residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
“With great humility, we have been blessed thus far to be COVID-19-free. We are well aware of the enormity of such a statement and are eternally grateful,” Earick said. “We have adopted every measure and taken every possible precaution and then some.”
For anyone who would like to schedule video calls with Versailles Rehab residents and patients, contact Fair at 937-526-5570.
