Coronavirus [COVID-19] is a widely renowned pandemic that has been circling the continent for the past few months. As the illness began to spread, numerous precautions were put into place for U.S. citizens. Many people are aware of the harm that this virus can cause to the elderly, but are unfamiliar with the catastrophic changes that have been made to their daily routines. More specifically, elderly who are residents in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. 

Due to the rapid escalation of this virus, tenants of these facilities are being quarantined to just the facility, with no outside visitors allowed. This has taken an immense toll on those living inside of the nursing homes. Many residents are struggling with being separated from the outside world. 

In response to close friends and family being quarantined indefinitely, a trend has begun. 

Within the past few weeks, a popular video sparked the Internet; a young woman had recently gotten engaged, but she was unable to share the news with her grandfather, due to the nursing home shut down. She felt as though news such as this could not be shared over the phone. Instead, she plotted a plan to surprise her grandfather outside of his window.  

Once shared on social media, many TV networks and news sites were able to further display the video. 

“When I arrived at the nursing home … I ran around the building to get to his bedroom window and they pulled up his blinds,” said Carly Boyd [granddaughter who was engaged] in a Good Morning America interview. “I pointed to my ring and he realized I was engaged.” 

Pictures, explanations and buzz about the day went viral, allowing more families to partake in adventures such as this. Luckily, I was able to experience a moment similar to this scenario with my grandmother.

This past Monday afternoon, my family and I began our journey to my grandmother’s assisted care facility in Canton, South Dakota. Thankfully, her room is on the first floor, allowing us easy access to her porch. She was not expecting the grandkids, which made her reaction incredibly heartwarming. She was awestruck and even had a moment of tears. Seeing friends and family truly brightened her day.

Although we had no news to report to my grandmother, we were able to surprise her with a great display! We decided to paint her window with rainbows and fill the sidewalk near her room with chalk art. She has always been a huge fan of crafts, which is what motivated this idea. 

While not everyone’s visits will go viral, it is important to consider others, especially family members, during this time of tragedy. Good deeds are always welcomed and appreciated by community members.