Mary Daniel hadn’t seen her husband for 114 days due to coronavirus restrictions at the senior care facility where he lives. So when she was told she could see him if she worked there as a dishwasher, she seized the opportunity
Her husband, Steve, was diagnosed with Alzheimer ‘seven years ago and moved into a care facility in Jacksonville, Florida, last July, Daniel told CBS News on Friday. “I put him in a memory care center and everything was going really, really well. He was thriving with all the people,” she said. “And in March, obviously everything changed.”
She said she had been visiting her husband every night and would get him ready for bed. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, hospitals and other health facilities restricted visitors as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable patients. The facility closed to visitors on March 11 — the last time shel saw Steve as a visitor. Not knowing how long the lockdown would last, she wanted to find a way to see her husband regularly, and decided to get creative.
She was worried about her husband spending so much time alone and said his behavior changed in quarantine. “He actually had an altercation with one of the other residents, and that’s an indicator of the stress,” she said. “I’ve never seen him get in an altercation with anyone.”
She was able to visit Steve twice during this time, standing outside of his room. But being separated by a window made him upset. “I think it’s worse when he sees me than when he doesn’t see me,” she said.
She decided not to visit her husband that way anymore, but said she was “desperate” to find another way to stay connected.
“Out of the blue, two weeks ago, the corporate office of his memory care center called me and said, ‘We’ve got a part-time job available, would you like to take it?'” Daniel said. She was willing to do any job they offered for the chance to get inside, and what they ended up giving her was a dishwashing position.
The job is allowing Daniel to see her husband regularly, and she’s grateful or it — especially since this week,Governor Ron DeSantis extended the state’s emergency order for 60 days, which also extends the visitor restrictions. “It has been such an amazing blessing. I have seen him three times,” Daniel said. “I’m working two days a week — and it is the real deal.
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(Photo courtesy of Mary Daniel)
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