To comply with Department of Health requirements that call for no, or extremely restricted, visitation in skilled care environments, Willow Valley Communities constructed Connection Cottages.
Connection Cottages are semi-permanent structures located at The Glen, Lakeside, and Meadow Ridge. Each Cottage is situated adjacent to a window of an unoccupied first-floor Resident room, creating a place for a safe, no-contact visit for skilled care Residents. Residents are assisted by Team Members in the room, while their visitors communicate with them from the Connection Cottage. Technology devices are used for audio during the conversation. Visits are scheduled for 30 minutes, and the room and the Cottage are sanitized after each visit. Connection Cottages are climate controlled, safe, and comfortable.
Sandy Wilson, Manager of Volunteer Services, arranges all the visits for Residents at The Glen. She said the visits are all very powerful and impactful. “When you haven’t seen your spouse for weeks and months, it’s an emotional moment for both. There are so many tears. It’s such an amazing thing.”
