In mid-March, the Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (CNRC) discontinued visitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant that my mother and I would no longer be able to visit her husband/my father.  It also meant that relatives of almost 200 residents would no longer be able to spend precious time with their loved ones.  In the months to follow, we understood, we have followed protocols and waited patiently.

It has been 6-months since we have been able to see our loved ones. The only contact we’ve had during this time is a once-a-week Facetime/Skype meeting for residents who are able to participate. We asked for outdoor visits with masks and appropriate social distancing and were denied. We had a beautiful summer.  We could have easily been permitted to have occasional outdoor visits with proper barriers and PPE available. The Administration has told us we cannot do window visits to wave to the residents.  The virtual meeting is all that we have & this extremely limited opportunity to see and visit with our family members is not only killing us, but it is also killing them.  While other parts of the state have started to allow visitors into assisted living facilities, we continue to sit here waiting & waiting. 

I've remained somewhat quiet through this in fear of retaliation towards my father, but I am done waiting and must now take action. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to be given the opportunity to see & visit my father. I will personally purchase PPE, assist with building barriers & volunteer to ensure everyone is following safety protocols. I know there are other family members of the residents who feel the same way. 

At no point in time has anyone from the CNRC contacted families to obtain their input on how to make visits a possibility much less a reality.  Instead, denying visits continues to be prolonged because staff continues to test positive for COVID-19. We are now heading into the cold season where it won’t be feasible to hold outdoor visits. I am beyond frustrated with the poor use of the time available to us over the past few months. 

The stories I’ve heard from residents' families breaks my heart.  Our elderly are scared and fear they will die before they see their families again.  If the administration continues down the same path they've set us on, the residents' and their families' fears will become a reality. 

If your heart hurts because you haven’t seen your loved one since March, then sign this petition.  Make your voice heard.  Together we can create the change we want to see!