BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – Many Michigan seniors have spent the last 15 months virtually cut off from the outside world and that is all about to change.
People living in assisted living facilities can now come and go as they please and are reconnecting in person with their loved ones.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer officially lifted the state’s COVID restrictions and fully reopened the state for the first time in about 15 months on Tuesday.
Read: 11 takeaways from Gov. Whitmer’s briefing as Michigan officially lifts COVID restrictions
Baldwin House Senior Living Birmingham lifted restrictions on Tuesday. That means that visitors can visit and the people living at the facility can have much more fulfilling lives.
Frank Meida has been living at the facility for five years. His wife died in April of 2020, around when the COVID pandemic began.
Meida said the pandemic started out lonely because of the loss of his wife and that he had to get accustomed to being isolated from other people. Even though restrictions changed from month to month it was still difficult.
Meida said Tuesday feels like a day of celebration. He said he can go to a lunch room with other people and he doesn’t have to eat alone in his room anymore.
Charlene Orletski moved into the Baldwin house during the pandemic after her husband died, now she’s just starting to see how social it is there.
During the months of isolation, Meida and Orletski became great friends. Now they’re looking forward to going to more social gatherings together.
There are still some residents who choose to eat their meals in their rooms just to be safe.
Read: Michigan lifts COVID restrictions today: Where vaccination rates stand