ALL THIS week, nursing homes across Ireland have been full of tearful and joyous reunions as loved ones are able to meet face to face for the first time in three months.
Ireland's nursing homes have been on strict lockdown since mid-March, in order to protect residents against the Covid-19 pandemic, which can have a devastating effect on the elderly.
While loved ones kept in touch via phonecalls and face-time, it wan't the same-- and for some patients who suffer from alzheimers or dementia, the situation is even more difficult to understand.
One nursing home in Dublin which specialises in dementia care, St Joseph's in Shankill, has now witnessed plenty of joyous reunions since they were able to open their doors to visitors on Monday-- but one reunion in particular has stood out.
Mr Michael Ronan came prepared to see his beloved wife, Maura, as he brought his accordion and serenaded her in the sunny yard of the nursing home.
If music be the food of love...... Michael reunited with Maura #thelookinhereye #reunion @NursingHomesIre @alzheimersocirl @AgeAction @EngagingDemIrl @IrishDementiaWG pic.twitter.com/oAdrzcShMi
— Saint Joseph's Shankill (@sjdementia) June 15, 2020
Maura has been listening to her husband play accordion for 40 years, according to St Joseph's manager Siobhán Grant, and while she is in the later stages of dementia and cannot communicate as she used to, the accordion is Michael's way of "keeping that love between them."
“I witnessed them meeting for the first time a few minutes ago and she can’t express herself with words that are distinguishable anymore but she was trying to say hello and her eyes lit up when he started playing,” Ms Grant told The Journal.
Another video of the reunion was caught from a different angle by the outlet, which shows Michael performing an upbeat tune while St Joseph's health care workers take Maura's hand and help her to dance along to the music-- you can check out the heartwarming video below.
