Ridgecrest Community Care Center making the most out of visitation restrictions

Due to the elderly population being more susceptible to being infected with COVID-19, nursing homes statewide now have visitation restrictions. Ridgecrest Community Care Center in West Monroe is making the most of these restrictions by keeping residents entertained.

Residents can no longer do group activities but have been keeping busy with individual bible studies, painting, and dancing. All residents and staff are told to keep a distance of 10 feet from each other.

Although visitors are not allowed in the building, residents can have “window visitation” where guests and residents can see each other through the window of the building.

Staff will take residents out one-by-one so they can get fresh air. They say residents are especially excited about getting video calls from their loved ones.

“It’s a lot of fun too to see their faces light up, some of them have never heard of Facetime. So when I actually call their daughter and they’ll see ‘em on Facetime, I mean of course their children are excited or their family members but the patients, the residents are over the moon,” said marketing director Abbey Benjamin.

Staff members go room-to-room to entertain residents with games and dancing. All staff members are screened for the virus regularly to prevent exposure to residents.

Resident Charles Humphries said he speaks to his family on the phone daily and he receives gifts and care packages regularly. The regulations have not affected his love of the home.

“I enjoy getting out here. It’s really wonderful here now, really wonderful. Everything is working good,” said Humphries.

Benjamin said that anyone is welcome to send the residents letters and pictures. The Ridgecrest Community Care Center is located at 1616 Wellerman Road in West Monroe.