New Paltz New York - For 56 days, the
coronavirus pandemic kept Howard Smith apart from Lois Kittson,
his wife of half a century. Their separation ended this week
with a short but stirring reunion – at a safe distance – outside
her nursing home in upstate New York.
Howard, who for years had visited his wife almost every day
at the home, was able to meet Lois for 35 minutes Tuesday at the
entryway of the New Paltz Center facility where she has lived
since 2015 as a late-stage Alzheimer's patient. The visit came
with special precautions in the coronavirus era: No touching was
allowed. Howard had to wear a mask and stay more than six feet
from Lois.
Howard's eyes lit up when Lois, wrapped in a blanket and
wearing a sun hat, was rolled out of the nursing home in her
wheelchair, with assistance from the facility's activities
director. He spent the visit calmly bringing her up to date on
news of the world, their family home in New York's Hudson River
Valley, and their 27-year-old daughter, Laurel, in Manhattan,
who hopes to join him for another visit soon.
Lois, whose illness has taken away her ability to speak,
smiled several times and made faint noises. It is her way of
communicating joy, Howard said.
Artists Howard Smith and Lois Kittson are seen in this undated handout photo, Picture: Howard Smith/Handout via Reuters
Last month, Reuters published a story about the couple's
life together, culminating in their recent separation during the
pandemic. As Covid-19 ravages vulnerable populations in nursing
homes across America and the world, it was unclear whether
Howard and Lois would ever see each other again.
Their visit may offer a glimmer of hope for thousands of
families separated from loved ones who live in U.S. nursing
homes. Even as expectations grow that the coronavirus pandemic
will drag on for many months, the reunion underscores how U.S.
nursing homes and other long-term elder-care facilities are
trying to arrange for limited visits without putting residents
or staff at risk.
Across the country, the facilities that house more than 1.5
million vulnerable seniors have been in lockdown since March.
Banning visitation is meant to keep the virus at bay, but for
loved ones, it's been a painful separation. During normal times,
family visits are a vital part of weekly routines for many
residents, including those with dementia like Lois.
Artists Howard Smith and Lois Kittson pictured in New York State on November 24, 2016. Picture: Howard Smith/Handout via Reuters
For weeks in many nursing homes, phone calls and video have
been the only means of checking in on loved ones. But as the
pandemic continues, many of the facilities are coming up with
creative solutions to allow non-traditional visits.
Some offer staff-supervised patio or parking lot visits, as
long as family members and residents keep their distance. Others
encourage so-called window visits, in which loved ones can
interact with residents separated by glass, singing "Happy
Birthday," eating a common meal on either side, or bringing
signs to cheer up residents.
In addition, nursing homes in New York and elsewhere are
introducing new measures to ensure residents and staff can all
be tested for the coronavirus. New York also now requires
nursing home operators to inform families when residents at a
facility have tested positive. To date, the New Paltz Center
facility has reported no cases of Covid-19.
Howard Smith visits his wife, Lois, a 77-year-old Alzheimer's patient, at the New Paltz Center nursing facility for the first time since lockdowns due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Picture: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters
After Tuesday's meeting, Howard said he felt a deep sense of
relief that his wife remains stable and well taken care of by
staff at the home. He said the nursing home should be "commended
for making these efforts" and hopes it's just the first of many
such visits.
"One robin doesn't make a spring, but she was pretty
engaged," he said. "This was an experience for her, and it was
reassuring to me."
Of the distancing requirement, Howard said it was perfectly
understandable, and a small price to pay for the chance to see
his wife again.
"It wasn't as good as being next to her, but I was OK with
it."