Honor mom this Mother’s Day — from a distance

Mother’s Day usually includes a hand-delivered bouquet of flowers, a nice family brunch or a visit to the nursing home. But how is a dutiful son or daughter supposed to honor Mom and maintain social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic?

Some nursing homes have applied their imagination to entertain and comfort residents: One in Kentucky is airing old performances of Lawrence Welk and His Orchestra, while another in Wisconsin is holding a “prom,” with visiting teenagers in masks and tiaras.

At Valley View Assisted Living in John Day, Oregon, officials will hold a Mother’s Day “doorway” tea and bingo social for its 26 residents (20 of them mothers). At Longleaf Liberty Park Living Facility in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, the staff has installed a state-approved Plexiglass window so residents can sit and chat with family members on the other side.

Other nursing homes are allowing family members to post lawn chairs outside windows or drive-by in car parades to say hello. CareOne nursing home facilities in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Virginia are scheduling Mother’s Day meet-ups through windows, citing efforts to spread the coronavirus.

“Mother’s Day requires some extra love and very careful planning this year,” the Jewish Association on Aging, a care organization in Pittsburgh, said in a statement. “Across the U.S., visits with mothers who are in nursing homes will hold even more meaning as restrictions on visitation between families have been in place for weeks.”

Meanwhile, national chain restaurants such as Red Lobster, Cracker Barrel, and Outback Steakhouse are offering take-home meals for the holiday. And Lowe’s home improvement centers have announced they will donate $1 million in flowers to nursing homes.

“Mother’s Day is a special time between mothers, grandmothers and their children,” Marisa Thalberg, Lowe’s chief brand and marketing officer, said in a press release. “Our hearts go out to the millions of families nationwide who won’t be able to be with their loved ones this year.”

The flowers will be delivered with the assistance of ride-sharing service Uber.

Some florists have been deemed nonessential in several statewide shutdowns, but California Gov. Gavin Newsom will lift a ban on flower delivery just in time for Mother’s Day.

“From everything we’re hearing anecdotally, demand this year will be higher than ever,” Kate Penn, CEO of the Society of American Florists, an industry association, said Tuesday in a Facebook Live video. “You can count on usual flower buyers, as well as new customers — people missing out on their usual gifts of brunch or dinner.”

And Broadway is getting into the act, with a virtual variety showcase of stars, songs and stage performances.

“Broadway Does Mother’s Day” will feature Vanessa Williams, Harvey Fierstein and Laura Benanti, among other stars; and songs from stage shows such as “Mouiln Rouge!,” “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” and “Jagged Little Pill,” the musical based on the 1995 breakout album of the same name by singer/songwriter Alannis Morissette.

The show will be livestreamed at 3 p.m. Sunday on the “Broadway Does Mother’s Day” website. Show organizers say the event also will be carried on Seniorly.com so that mothers in nursing homes or their own homes can enjoy the performances.