Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

FAMILIES UNITE WITH ELDERLY LOVED ONES

Senior living communitie­s resume in-person visits after 5 months

- By Jen Samuel jsamuel@dailylocal.com @jenpoetess on Twitter

POCOPSON » A week ago, family members reunited with their loved ones at Chester County Pocopson Home after more than five months apart.

“It was very hard,” said Darlene Jenkins of Avondale. “But I continued to call every day.”

Her mother, Ivery Jenkins, 88, is a resident of Pocopson Home. She moved to the facility after suffering a fall and experienci­ng early signs of dementia, which required additional care, Jenkins said.

Then last week, on Aug. 21, the county-run senior citizen assisted living facility opened the grounds to visitation­s between residents and their families again.

Jenkins said Pocopson Home provided her with updates on her mother’s well-being whenever she called while visitation rights were suspended.

“The nurses and the staff were awesome,” Jenkins said Tuesday.

She added that the social workers helped her connect with her mom via FaceTime.

Jenkins described last Friday as “an emotional day.” The reunion marked the end of a traumatic period. It had been 161 days and 42 minutes since she had last seen her mother in-person. Jenkins brought her daughter, Danielle Jones, along for the visit.

Pocopson Home is limiting visitation­s to two visitors per resident at this juncture. And visitation­s are taking place outside only, under tented areas.

“They wanted to make sure everything was safe and secure for the residents.”

Jenkins added her mom had a job at Poposcon Home, which was praying for everyone.

“She’s a very faith-driven woman,” Jenkins said of her mother.

Ivery Jenkins was born Dec. 1, 1932, in West Grove. Her husband, James Jenkins, was a double Purple Heart veteran and a Marine, who passed away in 1995 just prior to celebratin­g the couple’s 65th wedding anniversar­y.

Jenkins said her mom has lived in Chester County all her life.

“She’s our mentor. She’s an example of faith even in hard times. She had a clear understand­ing of what was going on in the world,” Jenkins said.

“All she kept saying to us is: ‘You have to have faith. And you have to pray.’”

Jenkins noted, “She’s just a prayerful woman. She’s all faith.”

Pocopson Home has no active cases of COVID-19, according to the facility’s website. Activities in small groups of 10 or fewer have resumed. Universal masking, hand hygiene and social distancing are mandatory to help maintain the health and safety of residents and staff.

Pocopson Home cares for 275 residents.

A few towns away in downtown Kennett Square, the historic Friends Home, founded in 1898, currently allows senior citizen residents to meet with loved ones via porch or patio visits only.

“Since we did not have any COVID cases here at the Friends Home until July 17, we were allowing outside visitation with our residents on the porch or patio,” Christine McDonald, executive director, said Thursday.

Loved ones must remain 7 feet or farther away from residents while visiting with Friends Home residents outside.

The 122-year-old assisted living facility is home to 20 senior citizens at its nursing home, 37 seniors who are under personal care and two individual­s who live in independen­t apartments.

On July 17, Friends Home suspended all outside visitation­s until Aug. 13, McDonald said.

If another COVID-19 case among residents or employees arises, then outdoor visitation­s will again be suspended for another two weeks to ensure no more additional cases occur, she said.

“This policy will be in effect indefinite­ly,” McDonald added.

Starting on March 3, Friends Home implemente­d extensive procedures for cleaning.

On March 10, all outside trips were canceled, all inside entertainm­ent was postponed and all visitation­s were suspended on March 17.

Chester County Pocopson Home suspended in-person visitation­s March 13, the same day President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to combat novel coronaviru­s stateside.

“The outpouring of support from the community has been wonderful,” said Pocopson Home Administra­tor Jackie McKenna in late July, as previously reported in the Daily Local News.

“This has been a very difficult time for residents and their family members,” she said.

According to the Pennsylvan­ia Department of Health, as of Aug. 27, 5,157 seniors have died from COVID-19-related causes at assisted living facilities across the commonweal­th.

In Chester County, that equates to 286 deaths of all 355 reported fatalities.

For family members who finally reunited with their loved ones after, like Jenkins, more than 160 days a part, the experience was not only important, but precious.

“We were excited,” Jenkins said. “It was amazing.”

 ?? SUBMITTED PHOTO ?? Chester County native Ivery Jenkins smiles alongside her great-grandsons, twins Xavier LaBoy, left, and Zaire LaBoy during a special family moment prior to the 2020 pandemic shutdown. Jenkins is a resident of Pocopson Home, an assisted living facility for senior citizens that is run by the county.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Chester County native Ivery Jenkins smiles alongside her great-grandsons, twins Xavier LaBoy, left, and Zaire LaBoy during a special family moment prior to the 2020 pandemic shutdown. Jenkins is a resident of Pocopson Home, an assisted living facility for senior citizens that is run by the county.
 ?? SUBMITTED PHOTO ?? Danielle Jones, of East Fallowfiel­d Township, visits her grandmothe­r, Ivery Jenkins, 88, at Pocopson Home on Aug. 21. During the shutdown, the pair connected via phone calls and FaceTime chats. “She would always say, ‘Pray more, worry less,’” Jones said of her grandmothe­r.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Danielle Jones, of East Fallowfiel­d Township, visits her grandmothe­r, Ivery Jenkins, 88, at Pocopson Home on Aug. 21. During the shutdown, the pair connected via phone calls and FaceTime chats. “She would always say, ‘Pray more, worry less,’” Jones said of her grandmothe­r.

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