The impacts isolation is having on those in assisted living facilities

Staff at River Bend Assisted Living in Rochester are finding creative ways to help residents stay upbeat.

Confirmed new for you on daybreak.

More than 70 thousand long?

"*term residents and staff have died from covid?

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"* the feelings of loneliness and isolation could be pushing residents to lose the will to live.

Kimt news 3's madelyne watkins checked in with a rochester assisted living home to see how residents there are staying busy without the normal visits from loved ones.

Madelyne... i'm sure it's tough on everyone involved, right?/// brooke.

From the residents and their family members to the care givers... everyone is feeling the negative impacts of this ongoing pandemic.

That's why staff at river bend assisted living is getting creative with activities the residents can do with each other inside the facility.

The national consumer voice for quality long?

"* term care reports that in minnesota, social isolation is being listed as a cause or contributing factor of death for long?

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That's according to a?

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"** residents at river bend assisted living can't go out and about for obvious reasons.

So the director of life enrichments, erica kuiper, tells me staff went around to everyone to get to know them better and learn what they like to do.

They've started playing hallway bingo, they do patio exercises and have zoom dates with loved ones.

Kuiper says making sure they still have interaction with the outside world is keeping them "the letters are a good thing because it helps them stay connected with the community.

It really does go a long way.

We have a resident who gets letters from her loved ones all the time and that's the first thing she says to me, 'do you have my letter!'

It's cute.

It doesn't take very long to write a letter and they enjoy it."

Anyone and everyone is welcome to send letters or little goodie bags to residents at river bend.

Kuiper tells me they've been fortunate to not have any positive covid?

"* thank you madelyne.

Right now, riverbend is on a level 2... which means no one there has tested positive for covid?

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So each resident can have a scheduled visit