“Being able to visit with mom for the holidays means the world to us,” said Wayne and Karen Peterson, who recently dropped by Heritage House’s visiting booth to see his mom, Shirley Puttkammer.
Portage, WI…Spending time with family during the holidays is truly a gift that not everyone can experience this year. Thankfully, the “elves” at Heritage House Assisted Living of Portage discovered a creative and festive way for their senior residents to enjoy the priceless gift of in-person time with family—even in the face of a pandemic.
In the Heritage House Santa’s Workshop, team members and some of their family members pitched in to create a “visiting booth” that is literally decorated like a well-wrapped present and offers a warm, comfortable and clean space—complete with reclining chairs, a Christmas tree and pine-scented air freshener—where residents and family members can safely visit in person and share a cozy Christmas moment together.
The visiting booth is so popular with Heritage House residents and families that it’s booked all the way through the holidays! The half-hour visits may be short, but the memories and warm glow of quality time spent with loved ones are long lasting.
“This visiting booth is such a nice idea. It is so great to see mom,” said Wayne Peterson, when he and his wife, Karen, recently saw his mom, Shirley Puttkammer at Heritage House’s visiting booth. “It has been almost a year since we could visit like this. It means the world to us!”
Be assured, Heritage House has safety protocols in place. Visitors are limited to two at time and undergo temperature checks and complete health questionnaires before heading to the dedicated, outdoor visiting booth entrance. Everyone wears face coverings, and visitors are separated by a plexiglass wall enclosure. The space is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between each guest visit.
The Magical Making of the Visiting Booth
Heritage House’s Activity Director, Sue Jensen, was inspired by an idea she saw online and rallied the full support of her co-workers and family to create the visiting booth and then install it in a Heritage House apartment with outdoor patio access that happened to be available.
Sue’s husband and son volunteered to build the booth and Heritage House Marketing Director Paula Barans helped Sue decorate the apartment and cover the booth in wrapping paper and bows to make it look like a giant Christmas present.
“The Jensen’s really did a great job with the construction,” said Paula. “It even has hooks for family members to hang their coats and a ledge to hold sanitizer.”
About Heritage House of Portage Assisted Living
Recently renovated, Heritage House Assisted Living, located at 2685 Airport Road, Portage, WI, offers custom assisted living care options for area seniors who appreciate personalized care and support in a smaller, cozier setting at an affordable price. Heritage House’s private residences are larger than most and feature separate bedrooms with optional en suite bathroom, choice of kitchens or kitchenettes, comfortable living rooms and optional private patios.
For more information, visit heritagehouseofportage.com or call Heritage House Marketing Director Paula Barans at 608-448-6181.
