Assisted living facilities forced to put visitation on hold

Many families all over New York State are wondering when will they ever be able to see their loved ones who are locked down inside a nursing home.

MANY FAMILIES... ALLOVER NEW YORKSTATE ... AREWONDERING TONIGHT-- WHEN WILL THEYEVER BE ABLE TO SEETHEIR LOVED ONES...WHO ARE LOCKEDDOWN INSIDE ANURSING HOMESOME PEOPLE LIKEDAVID GRUBKAIN LANCASTER SAYTHEY ARE WILLING TODO WHATEVER ITTAKES FOR ONE MOREHUG.AND NOW -- AS 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER TAYLOREPPS TELLS US --THERE'S AT LEAST ONEGROUP CALLING ONTHE STATE TO EASEUP ON ITS RULES.DAVID GRUBKA ISUSED TO SEEING HISMOM CAROL EVERYDADAVID "I'M AN ONLYCHILD, SO ME AND MYMOM HAVE ALWAYSBEEN A TEAM.

IT'S VERYHARD."SHE LIVES IN THEELDERWOOD CAREFACILITY INLANCASTEDAVID "WHICH IS ONESTREET OVER FROMOUR HOUSE.

IN THEPAST FEW SUMMEAND SPRINGS, I'LL TAKEMY MOM IN HERWHEELCHAIR ANDWE'LL COME RIGHTOVER AND SIT ON THEPORCH."BUT SINCE COVID HITBACK IN MARCH,VISITATIONS HAVEBEEN LIMITEDDAVID "SHE'S SADSHE'S LIKE WHY CAN'TWE TAKE A WALKAROUND THE BLOCK?WHY CAN'T YOU JUSTCOME IN AND HAVEDINNER WITH ME.

AND ITRY TO EXPLAIN TOHER IT'S THEPANDEMIC, NONE OF USCAN DO IT."AS WNY BEGAN TOREBOUND ANDREOPEN, VISITATIONSCONTINUED AT ADISTANCE ORSEPARATED BY ASCREEN..BUT NOW, THINGS ARELOCKED DOWN ONCEAGAIN.DAVID "THEY GET TOGOING GOOD AND THENBOOM.

THEY'RE BACKTO SQUARE ONE."A SPOKESPERSONFOR ELDERWOODSAYS THE LANCASTERLOCATICURRENTLY HAS TWOCOVID CASES..ACCORDING TO THEDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH, WHENEVER ARESIDENT OR STAFFMEMBER TESTSPOSITIVE, VISITATIONMUST SHUT DOWNFOR 28 DAYDAVID "I THINK IT'SHARDER ON ME THAN ITIS FOR MY MOMACTUALLY AND A LOTOF THE OTHER FAMILYMEMBERS TOO.

WEJUST WANT THAT HUG,YOU KNOW?"TAYLOR "AND IT'S NOTJUST HERE ATELDERWOOD.

IT'S ASTRUGGLE FOR LOVEDONES AROUND THESTATE."LISA "EVERYBODYFEELS YOUR PAIN.

I'VESPOKEN WITH LOTS OFFAMILY MEMBERSCALLING ME, THEYHEAR THAT WE'READVOCATING AND THEYWANT TO KNOW WHATTO DO."LISA NEWCOMB IS THEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOROF THE EMPIRE STATEASSOCIATION OFASSISTED LIVING.SHE SAYS SHE'S BEENWORKING WITH THESTATE TO GET THE28-DAY RULECHANGED.LISA "WE'RESUGGESTING MAYBEYOU HAVE TO TESTNEGATIVE AFTER 14DAYS.

JUST SO MOREFAMILIES CAN STHEIR RESIDENTS."DAVID "WE'RE WILLINGTO BE TESTED, WE'LLPUT ON A HAZMAT SUITIF YOU WANT US TO,WE'RE DESPERATE FORA HUG."MEANTIME, NEWCOMBENCOURAGESFAMILIES TO JOIN HER,BY WRITING TO THEDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND ASKINGFOR MORE VISITATIONWITH THEIR LOVEDONES.DAVID "WE'RE THINKINGABOUT THEM ALL THETIME AND TRYING TOMAKE THINGS AS GOODAS WE CAN."IN LANCASTER, TEPPS,7EWN.