WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)- The Indiana Veterans Home has been doing everything it can to keep its residents safe during the Pandemic. In this week’s Always Together, Always Local, we share how it is gradually opening back up to visitors.
"We are 100 percent COVID free and we are very proud of that,” said Marva Washkowiak the director of Marketing and Events at the Indiana Veterans Home. “We are taking every measure possible to make sure and ensure that we continue to be COVID free."
The Veterans Home says they have been able to remain COVID-19 free by taking proper precautions.
"We are taking temperatures, our staff has been wearing masks, we are making sure we are socially distanced from each other,” said Washkowiak. “We are also trying to make sure that we have some sort of normalcy as much as we can with activities and making sure the residents are taken care of.”
Another way the veteran's home says it has been keeping the residence spirits up is through community support.
"There has been a really big outpouring of support from the community and we have felt that and the residents have felt that so I would just say thank you for rallying around us and thank you for helping us get through this," said Joy Grow the Interim Superintendent, Indiana Veterans Home.
While it has now opened up to visitors, there are limitations. Resident Visits must be scheduled and there can only be two people per visit. Visits can only take place in the dining room area, and all people entering the building must be screened and wear a mask. The Veterans Home is taking these precautions and not fully opening up due to recommendations from the Indiana Department of Health.
"Their recommendations for us is to stay about 14 days behind the community so that's kind of what our plan is aiming to do,” said Grow.
While the path to reopening could change, the Veterans Home plans to remain diligent with keeping their residents safe.
"I've been impressed by everybody’s resilience and I think that's the thing I have taken away from this," said Grow.
On unit Resident Visitations at the Veterans home will begin on August 1st. The links to see the Veterans Home visitor's policy can be found by visiting its Website or Facebook Page. If you have a business or community organization you'd like to be featured in our always together always local segment send us an email with a suggestion.
