Virginia retirement community sets up hugging walls so family members can embrace

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Many of America's elderly have been cut off from loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic, so a retirement community in Virginia created a "hugging wall" where residents can safely embrace others. 

"It came about because as holidays were approaching, we thought, 'Gosh, we have to figure out a safe way for people to hug each other,'" Westminster-Canterbury retirement home CEO Ben Unkle said. 

"We just came up with the simple idea of using a clear plastic shower curtain suspended on some PVC pipes. It's safe and creates the right barrier that people need. It's easy to clean, it's flat."

A resident at Westminster-Canterbury retirement home embraces a family member through a "hugging wall."

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Unkle said the staff at Westminster-Canterbury consulted with doctors about how to set up three hugging stations.

Other retirement communities are setting up similar stations. 

At Unlimited Care Cottages in Texas, Amber and Steve Crenshaw built hugging booths for elderly residents that feature plexiglass with arm openings for family members to embrace each other. 

Unlimited Care Cottages set up hugging booths that allow elderly residents to embrace their family members. 

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"The residents have been just so filled with joy," Amber Crenshaw previously told Fox News. "It was one of our resident’s birthdays. We were able to set the booth up for their birthday, and family members were able to come in and give birthday hugs. It has really lifted the spirits of the assisted living residents."