Families will soon be reuniting with their loved ones face-to-face again, but six feet apart.

The province of Manitoba is allowing care home residents to have visitors for the first time since March. After two and a half months of restrictions, seniors and others living care homes are going to be seeing their loved ones in person soon. Starting June 1, visits are being permitted.

"They are elated... you can see it in their eyes and the smiles on their face."

Gary Ledoux, CEO of Bethania Mennonite Care Home is excited to see his residents reunite with family. Up until this point, the only contact residents have had with their family was through the phone and video chat.

While video chatting is a safe alternative, Ledoux says it is "not as good as the real thing." Ledoux expects in-person visits will lift people's spirits and says residents are elated at the opportunity.

ble to see their loved ones, Bethania is asking families to visit together.

Care home residents are separated not only from their families but also occasionally from their spouses. If only one spouse is in the care facility, it means a husband and wife have been unable to see each other in person since March.

"There have been husbands and wives who have been separated by this pandemic...it has been very hard on them," he says. 

Ledoux says many spouses have been video chatting and he is expecting joyful reunions between couples next week.

The long-awaited visits may be bitter-sweet for some, as not all residents in care homes are able to comprehend what is going on. Ledoux says the pandemic can be overwhelming and confusing and these new changes, while a positive step for Manitoba, may cause more confusion.

"For the ones that are aware, they are elated," he says. "You can see it in their eyes and the smiles on their face."

Bethania hopes to find ways in the future to allow indoor visits, but is thankful its residents will be able to see their loved ones very soon.