'Window visits' keep senior living residents, family connected in Bucks County

JAMISON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- "Are you coming for dinner?" asked 95-year-old Jeanette Thomas.

Her children responded, "We're not allowed to. We have to stay outside. This is as close as we can get."

On one side of the window and the phone, is Thomas. On the other, her children and grandchildren.

"This is much better than the time in prison, haha! That's what we feel like!" They joked.

"To see her in person even through glass is so much better than to see her on the iPad or FaceTime," says Thomas' daughter, Joanne Voln.

The senior living center, The Bridges at Warwick, has had to prohibit guests from entering the facility amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

"This population is most vulnerable if they get anything and we want to make sure we're just staying safe inside the building," says Kim Sager the marketing director.

Scheduled "Window Visits" is their way to keep residents connected to family.

Thursday night is a special celebration for Kerry Zimmerman, at the window watching his family outside.

"He turns 70 today and we just wanted to figure out a way to celebrate especially in the times and circumstance," says Zimmerman's daughter, Chelsea Rounds.

His wife is sharing words of encouragement on the phone as kids and grandkids hold up signs.

"We're just doing the best we can to make things as normal as possible, obviously between glass, it's not always that normal but it's the best we can do," says Rounds.

The Zimmerman family pledges to give Kerry another 70th birthday with a giant carrot cake and lots and lots of hugs just as soon as they can.