Nursing home visitation rules are revised but families believe more changes are needed.

Nursing home visitation rules are revised but families believe more changes are needed.

Nursing home visitation rules are revised but families believe more changes are needed.

NEW YORK STATETWEAKS ITSGUIDELINES FORNURSING HOMEVISITATIONS.GOOD EVENING..

I'MASHLEY ROWE WITHJEFF RUSSO.HEARTBREAKINGSTORIES ARE COMINGTO LIGHT ABOUTNURSING HOMERESIDENTS WHO MAYBE DYING FROMISOLATION..THE NEWS, COMINGAS THE STATEALLOWS VISITORSINSIDE MANY OFTHESE FACILITIESFOR THE FIRST TIMEIN MONTHS.AS OF TODAY...NURSING HOMES CANREOPEN TO VISITORSIF THE FACILITY HASNOT HAD ANYPOSITIVE COVID-19CASES FOR 14 DAYS --THAT'S DOWN FROMPREVIOUSGUIDELINES OF 28DAYS.VISITORS WILL BEREQUIRED TO SHOWA "NEGATIVE COVID-19TEST RESULT" WITHINTHE LAST SEVENDAYS TO VISIT ALOVED ONE.THESE NEW RULESARE A STEP IN THERIGHT DIRECTION..BUT CARE GIVERTELL EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER EDREILLY IT'S STILL NOTENOUGH...HEY BOB, I LOVE YOU.CAN YOU SEE ME?THIS IS HOWMARCELLA GOHEENHAS TO VISIT HER66-YEAR-OLDHUSBAND ROBERTWHO HAS BEEN IN ANURSING HOME FORFOUR YEARSDUE TO COVIDRESTRICTIONS SINCEMARCH .

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MARCELLAIS NOT ALLOWED TOVISIT FACE-TO-FACEOR HOLD HERHUSBAND'S HAND.SHE CAN ONLY TRYTO SPEAK ANDGESTURE THROUGH ACLOSED WINDOWI HAVEN'TFORGOTTEN ABOUTYOU BUDDY.

WE AREOUT HERE FIGHTINGFOR YOUTHIS SEPARATIONFROM MY HUSBANDHAS BEENUNBELIEVABLYPAINFULAFTER 6 MONTHS OFISOLATION .

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.GOHEEN BELIEVESHER HUSBAND ANDOTHER NURSINGRESIDENTS AREGOING DOWN FROMLACK OF FAMILYCONTACT.HE IS DESPONDENT.HE IS DEPRESSED.HE DOESN'T TALK.

HEIS NON-VERBALSTARTING TODAY .

.NURSING HOMEVISITATIONGUIDELINES HAVEBEEN REVISED .

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.BUT GOHEENBELIEVES THEY ARESTILL TOORESTRICTIVE.THE MANDATE THATSHIFTED ON TUESDAYIS A STEP IN THERIGHT DIRECTION,BUT IT IS BY NOMEANS A VICTORYFOR FAMILY MEMBERSTHE DOWNSTATEWOMAN HELPEDLAUNCH A WEBSITEFOR FAMILIES GOINGTHROUGH THE SAMETHING.AND SHE WAS PARTOF A RECENT RALLYAT GOVERNORCUOMO'S NYCOFFICE- CALLING FORTHE GOVERNOR ANDSTATE HEALTHCOMMISSIONER - TOMEET WITH THEFAMILIES AND ADOPTA PLAN WHERE THEYCAN HELP CARE FORA LOVED ONE IN ANURSING HOME.WE ARE ONE OF THEONLY STATES THATDOES NOT HAVE ANESSENTIAL CAREVISITOR PLAN.I THOUGH I WASALONE WITH THECHALLENGES ANDTHINGS THAT I WASGOING THROUGH.AND THEN I STARTEDHEARING THE OTHERPEOPLE'S STORIESJODY FALKNER FROMCASSADAGA IS ALSOVERY FRUSTRATEDWITH THERESTRICTIONS.HER 80-YEAR-OLDFATHER A NURSINGHOME RESIDENT INDUNKIRK .

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BUTFAMILY MEMBERS CANONLY SEE HIMTHROUGH FACETIME.ONE OF THE MOSTFRUSTRATING THINGSFOR ME WAS HAVINGTO TELL HIM THAT HEHAD PANCREATICCANCER DURING AFACETIME CALLFALKNER WORRIESTHE NEW RULESREQUIRING AVERIFIED NEGATIVECOVID TEST WITHIN 7DAYS BY NURSINGHOME VISITORS .

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.ISUNREALISTIC FORRURAL AREAS.IT IS NOT LIKE WE AREA BIG CITY AND YOUCAN JUMP ON PUBLICTRANSPORTATIONAND GET TO RAPIDTESTINGFRIDAY FROM 10 TONOON .

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FALKNERAKSING PEOPLE TORALLY OUTSIDE THECHAUTAUQUANURSING ANDREHABILIATIONCENTER HOLDINGPICTURES OF THEIRNURSING HOMELOVED ONES..THIS IS A PROBLEMTHAT IS HAPPENINGTHROUGHOUT NYS.NATS AT WINDOW .

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.ILOVE YOUED REILLY 7 EWN