ELDRIDGE, Iowa — Residents and staff at the Grand Haven Retirement Community got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday January 4, 2021.
The complex in Eldridge, Iowa is part of a program called "Project Hug," headed up by Community Pharmacy.
It's providing thousands of vaccine doses to long term care facilities in Iowa and Nebraska.
Grand Haven marking director Cyndi Koenes says they are very grateful to receive the vaccine, knowing that many are struggling to get the vaccine, especially the elderly.
"It's been really difficult and hard on our residents and their families, it's really hard on our staff as well. Because we love our residents and we can't be hugging on them right now, when you're a hugger and that stuff its really hard to not. You want to comfort them and love them up as much as you can. Not to replace their family but to give them that human touch," Koenes said.
Koenes hopes that this will be another step toward normalcy for their community.
"We'd like to get back to the point where we can at least have a couple hours a day open for live person to person visits, in person visits, and then we'd like to be able to get activities going again. And our dining room open again, those are the main hubs and that's why its been so quiet here without that dining room open," Koenes said.
Grand Haven staff and residents will get their second dose in three weeks, in late January.
It's also encouraging loved ones to continue to use its "Conversation Stations," built to offer safe indoor visits.