OLATHE, Kan. — As of Monday, loved ones now are allowed to schedule a visit to see family members at an Olathe senior living facility.
Carl Wilhite visited his mother at Anthology of Olathe on Monday and Tuesday. It's a moment that was months in the making.
"Good Morning, you look nice today," Carl Wilhite told his mother, Doris, as she walked into the theater room to see her son.
"I saw you come in and I thought that looks like Carl," Doris Wilhite said.
Carl said his mother moved into the facility March 11 – two days before COVID-19 lockdowns began.
"Yesterday (Monday) was the first time we really had a chance to sit down face to face," Carl said.
Anthology of Olathe received approval from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Johnson County Department of Health and Environment for visits to resume after not having any COVID-19 cases at the facility for more than one month.
The following guidelines now are in place for visitors:
- Masks are required.
- Only two visitors at a time.
- Visits are 30 minutes.
- Social distancing is required.
- Visitors must stay in the lobby, dining room, bistro, library or theater.
- Visits must be scheduled ahead of time.
- Memory Care residents are only allowed to meet through the windows until Jan. 12.
The moment of seeing each other face-to-face comes after a rough road for the Wilhite family.
"It's been hard," Carl said. "First Christmas in 71 years we haven't been together."
The time apart has been even harder for Doris.
"It was terrible," she said. "It was terrible because I lost my daughter and I couldn't go see anybody."
For Carl, he will take all the time the facility can give.
Residents and staff at the facility were vaccinated last week.
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