In normal times, 2-year-old Bella Singer and her family would head to Ithaca in upstate New York to visit her grandmother for the holidays, opening presents together on Christmas morning.
This year, the Singers stayed home in Essex County, heeding the advice of health officials to avoid travel and large gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. So, to comfort her grandma alone in upstate New York, Bella painted a card and sent it to her earlier this month.
“It made (her grandmother) very happy to see,” said Bella’s mother, Husniye Temocin Singer, 37.
The response gave Temocin Singer an idea: deliver more of Bella’s cards to local nursing homes, where residents have been living in isolation for months because the older populations there are more susceptible to COVID-19.
Throughout December, Bella spent days painting hundreds of individualized cards and then delivering them with her mother to nursing homes in Essex County, including the Stratford Manor Rehabilitation & Care Center in West Orange and Inglemoor Rehabilitation & Care Center in Livingston.
Bella Singer made hundreds of holiday cards for people living in long-term care facilities in Essex County.Courtesy of Husniye Singer
Temocin Singer attached notes to the cards, telling the seniors she is thinking of them during the holidays.
“We are all isolated now because of COVID. We couldn’t visit our families. And then think of those seniors. They’re more isolated than us,” she said. “We just wanted to give some holiday cheer... especially this holiday season.”
Statewide coronavirus restrictions prevented Bella and her mother from stepping inside in the long-term care facilities. Indoor visitation is only allowed by appointment, and must comply with certain safety requirements, according to the state health department’s rules.
Instead, Temocin Singer would call the reception desks and a staff member would meet them outside to get the cards.
Temocin Singer said her daughter has an artistic streak and was inspired by paintings hanging in their home made by her late grandmother Arnold Singer, who was a tenured professor of Fine Art at Cornell University.
The family plans to continue the project for Valentine’s Day, Easter and other upcoming holidays, she said.
“It’s a good reminder that the small things we do in life still matter,” she said.
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Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo.
The Link LonkDecember 26, 2020 at 02:32AM
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/12/2-year-old-nj-girl-and-mom-send-holiday-cards-to-nursing-home-residents-alone-for-christmas.html
2-year-old N.J. girl and mom send holiday cards to nursing home residents alone for Christmas - NJ.com
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