VIDEO: Woman performs concert for her 94-year-old grandmother while social distancing in Mississauga
Published March 26, 2020 at 8:53 pm
You might not be able to hug your vulnerable or elderly friends and relatives right now, but you can still connect with them in meaningful and beautiful ways–and bring other people a lot of joy in the process.
You just might have to get a little creative.
Earlier this week, Viera Zmiyiwsky, a composer and professional violinist with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, played a 30-minute violin concert for Anna Zmiyiwsky, her 94-year-old grandmother.
Anna, who is widowed, lives in the Ivan Franko Home in Mississauga. Much like in other assisted living/retirement residences, operators are working to protect residents from COVID-19 by enforcing physical distancing measures. While the measures are in place to protect seniors from getting sick, the move has left many people feeling lonely–especially those who are used to seeing their family members several times a week.
In an email to insauga.com, Viera said Anna is used to almost daily visits, adding that she usually sees her grandmother at least twice a week.
Videos
Saying that she missed her grandmother and couldn’t bear the idea of not seeing her, for so long Viera decided to surprise Anna with an “old school serenade.” With the assistance of the in-home nurses and manager, Anna was brought to her second-floor balcony where she could watch Viera perform for her.
Other residents also came out onto their balconies to enjoy the concert.
The residence shared the news of the impromptu concert on its Facebook page.
“Her performance was a heart-warming and emotional moment for everyone who was there. Thank you so much for such a pleasant surprise,” operators said.
What heartwarming interactions have you seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising