Health

Florida nursing home holds ‘remote kisses’ for Mother's Day

Kendall, May 9 (EFE/EPA).- Magnolia, Cira, Toshi and Isabel were some of the 315 residents of The Palace Renaissance & Royale nursing home in Kendall, Florida, who due to the coronavirus epidemic, saw their relatives for the first time in almost two months Saturday, although they did so from a distance.More than 100 family vehicles paraded through the residence's parking lot, while residents wearing face masks waved in tears.The reunion, which obeyed social distancing measures set by authorities of keeping at least 1.8 meters apart, was organized for Mother's Day, which is celebrated Sunday. (Camera: CRISTOBEL HERRERA).FOOTAGE SHOWS A MOTHER'S DAY REUNION AT THE PARKING LOT OF THE PALACE RENAISSANCE & ROYALE NURSING HOME IN KENDALL, FLORIDA, US.SOUNDBITES: BÁRBARA GUTIÉRREZ, DAUGHTER OF A RESIDENT AT THE NURSING HOME AND RICARDO MARTÍNEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PALACE RENAISSANCE & ROYALE NURSING HOME (IN SPANISH).TRANSLATIONS: 1.) Barbara: This is the only thing we can do (for my mother) on Mother’s Day, right? - to see her from afar and let her meet her granddaughter, to give her a kiss from a distance – until the day that we can be together again (03:07-03:21).2.) Barbara: I think it has been more than a month and a half, and this is the longest time that I haven’t seen her (03:22-03:28).3.) Barbara: It is a great sadness because you want to be there, hug her and share with her and I can’t. But I know that she is taken care of and that she is fine (03:29-03:41).4.) Barbara: (The situation) is very sad, but that at the same time I feel happy that I am able to see her. You know what I mean? Because there are people who have relatives in other countries and cannot see them at all. At least here I see her – a little bit away, but I see her (03:42-03:57).5.) Barbara: I think we all have to have hope, although this is a very hard thing that we are going through. But we all need to have hope. In a few months I will be able to be with her (03:57-04:10).6.) Ricardo: On one can get off their vehicles. They can only see their relatives from afar. This gives them opportunity to send a message to the residents (at the nursing home) and the residents to them. (04:10-04:22).7.) Ricardo: All the security measures are being taken. All our employees are wearing masks. We do evaluations at the entry point – asking them a few questions, checking their temperature and disinfecting their belongings (04:23-04:37). 8.) Ricardo: It is very hard, but at the same time we have had contact with families through different platforms and social networks such as WhatsApp and FaceTime. In this way, we can maintain the contacts between residents and their relatives (04:37-END).