Marion Austin, 88, used to visit her husband John, 92, every day at his nursing home. Now, visitors are barred due to the coronavirus pandemic. So she FaceTimes him every day instead. 'If I'm not able to go for a month, will he know me then? Maybe not.'
Marion Austin used to visit her husband John Austin every day at The Pines, a nursing home in Rutland, Vt. Now, the couple of nearly 70 years is keeping in touch via FaceTime.Marion Austin used to visit her husband John Austin every day at The Pines, a nursing home in Rutland, Vt. Now, the couple of nearly 70 years is keeping in touch via FaceTime.
The Austins moved to Vermont with their three children in 1969. Marion was a housewife and John was a home builder. When their kids were grown, Marion returned to school to get a master's degree in counseling psychology and went to work. "Someone used the term 'ambiguous grieving' because you're grieving for someone who's still here," said Marion of caring for John through his dementia."It was beginning a series of letting go: First of all, letting go by letting someone else take care of him — I still did his laundry. Then finally, I let go of that."
Marion said she visited John nearly every day until last week, when nursing homes everywhere began to limit outside visitors to protect their clients from the coronavirus and COVID-19. And now, staff at The Pines are also helping Marion FaceTime with John, since she can't be there to spend time with him in person.With the help of a nurse, John replied:"Marion — yes, I'm here."
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