State bill would allow family access to nursing homes during declared emergencies kpbs.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kpbs.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Relatives who often provide vital caregiving for nursing home residents say the lockdowns during the pandemic showed the need for family members to visit in person with loved ones. About a dozen states have passed laws guaranteeing that right.
Essential caregivers were locked out of nursing homes during COVID-19 Advocates from New York to California don t want it to happen again msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Anne Marshall-Chalmers
Special to USA TODAY
In many long-term care facilities, there are the regular visitors family members who arrive daily to talk, clip nails, ensure meals don’t sit untouched, comb hair and, in quiet moments, hold hands.
Last summer, after several months of being locked out of facilities due to the coronavirus pandemic, the regulars grew increasingly concerned that their loved ones were suffering from prolonged isolation. Through Facebook and Twitter, hundreds, then thousands of these caregivers joined efforts.
From New York to Illinois to California, advocates have rallied state and federal lawmakers to enact laws that will permit such essential caregivers to enter long-term care settings, even during a public health emergency. They’ve organized email blasts, rallies, even a travelling yard sign campaign. Their efforts prompted New York to pass a bill this spring. Arkansas, too. About a dozen other states have had essential caregiving bills at least in