Ivy Creek, an entire apartment building full of senior citizens living out their retirement, has been taken by surprise by the coronavirus.
Helene Cocchi, the owner of The Cutting Corner at Ivy Creek, which offers hair styling to many residents, could not have expected her business to close its doors due to the coronavirus before the shop’s first birthday on March 13, 2020.
“There was no way of seeing this coming.”
Ms. Helene Cocchi
“Working in a retirement community as well as open to the public seemed perfect,” Ms. Cocchi said, “but you just never know. There was no way of seeing this coming.”
For Ms. Cocchi, being a hairstylist for the community is a lot more than just styling hair for them, it is a job of many trades.
“My job is 100% therapeutic. You get to know these people and you share stories, for some of them this is their only interaction for the day. Some ladies here do not even know how to wash their own hair,” Ms. Cocchi said.
After closing the doors due to the coronavirus and switching to an at-home operation, providing “holistic” hair care to her older clientele seemed temporarily halted as the virus continued to progress through the nation. Ms. Cocchi will be able to return to her duties in the retirement home, but unfortunately it will be vastly different for her and her clients there.
“I’ll be picking up my supplies for a cart going room to room, getting paid by the hour and working for someone instead of running my own business, for less money.”
“Limited in services I can provide, only for twenty hours a week, people are used to their spa experience of a hair salon, but the ultimate goal to the client is still the same as before, to make their day.”
Ms. Helene Cocchi
For many people who have quarantined themselves completely, the news is their only outlet.
Ms. Cocchi is only one case in the millions affected by this virus, and the media can only cover so many stories. Dealing with this hard time for herself and her clients with a good attitude has been the key for Ms. Cocchi.
“Limited in services I can provide, only for twenty hours a week, people are used to their spa experience of a hair salon,” Ms. Cocchi said, “but the ultimate goal to the client is still the same as before, to make their day.”
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