Monroe County Legislator Sean Delehanty said the toll of limited visitation in New York state nursing homes weighs on the entire community.
“It's really been devastating to the families, the separation, the not being able to interact with a loved one on a personal level,” said Delehanty.
Nursing home visits have been limited and sometimes impossible since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stopped all visits to nursing homes.
By July, homes with no COVID-19 cases for 28 days could allow some visitors. That threshold was lowered to 14 days in September. Nursing homes have resorted to creative ways to connect residents with relatives, such as outdoor visits and visiting with a window between them.
On Monday, Delehanty and fellow County Legislator Paul Dondorfer said New York should broaden the regulations further. He suggested following the lead of New Jersey, Minnesota, South Dakota, Indiana and others by creating what some of those states call an essential caregiver. Delehanty said essential caregivers would be regularly tested like long-term care employees are and would be allowed to visit more.
“Why can’t we test a family member, in a protective way, in an extremely regulated controlled environment, and allow them to go in to see a family member?” Delehanty asked. “We feel since other states are doing this, why can’t we mirror what they are doing or at least take a serious look at what they’re doing and bring it to New York?”
Delehanty said Cuomo’s rules were understandable early on in the pandemic, but he and Dondorfer believe it's time to adapt, like Cuomo has with other sectors such as business and education.
“It’s constantly evolving and we feel like this is one thing that needs to evolve because we do believe it can be done safely,“ said Delehanty.
Delehanty said he’ll be seeking support from his fellow lawmakers and the county health department, but he said the decision must be made in Albany. He said he has not yet heard back from Cuomo or the state health department.
