Wissota Place seniors ‘break out’ of pandemic

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) – Something as simple as taking a bus ride hasn’t been an option for Wissota Place Senior Living residents until Wednesday. Weeks after receiving their second COVID-19 vaccine dose, 12 residents took a bus tour around Chippewa Falls through downtown and Irvine Park.

“I got freedom again,” said Jan Snider, one of the residents.

Residents and staff took part in a ribbon cutting ceremony before getting on the bus.

“It was wonderful,” Snider said.

The event was a chance to celebrate making it through the pandemic.

Wissota Senior Living Place Community Relations Manager Whitney Michels said all since all residents got their second vaccine dose in February, staff felt comfortable letting them leave on their own version of spring break.

“It’s been over a year since they’ve actually had a bus trip,” she said. “We used to do them a couple of times a week, take them out for ice cream or to the park, sometimes to Heyde Center. We’re going to start just with the tours.”

Michels said residents will be able to get off the bus when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxes more COVID-19 safety guidelines.

For now, she’s relieved they’re vaccinated.

“You can’t imagine how difficult it’s been for the last year following all these regulations,” Michels said.

She said her biggest fear was potentially transmitting the virus to one of the residents.

“They’re not just residents here, they’re our family,” Michels said.

For residents like Snider, being vaccinated also brings a newfound sense of hope.

“I just feel the freedom coming through. And the people here are so wonderful, the staff are beyond words,” she said.

“That just makes my heart soar,” Michels said. “Like I said, our residents are our family here. And to see them that happy and for them to have that sense of security too that now they’re vaccinated and they feel that it’s safe to be heading out and getting on the bus and going to see some things.”

Michels said she’s thrilled to see residents eat together again.

Snider said she’s happiest to see her son again. She hadn’t seen him in more than a year until recently.

Copyright 2021 WEAU. All rights reserved.