ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Many families have been waiting to see their loved ones in nursing homes or rehab centers but still can’t due to the pandemic. St John’s is the only rehab center in the Rochester area offering window visits for people to cheer on their loved ones during physical therapy.

Lisa Martin’s mom had a bad fall a few weeks ago. She went to the hospital and then had to start rehab. Lisa said she had many choices of facilities and most, including St. John’s, aren’t allowing visitors due to COVID-19. But they are offering these window visits, which sold Martin.

Martin surprised her mom at her morning rehab sessions the past couple weeks.

“Her eyes just totally lit up and all of a sudden there’s this spring in her step and it’s just, there’s this happiness you can just see it all around her,” said Martin.

Ashley Daggett is the rehab administrator at St. John’s and said these visits really help patient progress.

“It really impacts their therapy here and their success in therapy and getting back home or whatever their next level of care is,” she said.

Martin said these window visits have changed her world.

“She can’t really just tell you over the phone, ‘well I’m walking better,’ she can show me, ‘I’m really doing better now’ and reassure me she’s doing better, because I can see it,” Martin said. “Talking to her later that day and the next days after that’s all she could talk about, ‘I was so glad to see you.’”

Martin said her mom should be done with her rehab by the end of the week ,and she’ll always be grateful to St. John’s that she was able to be close to her during this process.

Two families can watch their loved ones in the rehab gym at a time to allow for social distancing at the windows.