New York state is considering the adoption of a bill that would compensate families who lost loved ones in nursing homes due to COVID-19.
Spectrum News 1 spoke with one family who is afraid they won’t be included in the bill, but they still want to see action from the state.
Gelsey Randazzo of Irondequoit says she was practically raised at her grandparents’ house.
“Growing up, we’d always would go on the beach and get in the water together,” said Randazzo.
She says her grandmother Rose loved living by the lake.
"She loved going out on the beach, laying in the sun," Randazzo said. "She loved gardening outside."
Rose passed away at 91 last December while living at a nursing home. It was a loss Randazzo says has left a hole in her family’s hearts.
“It was absolutely devastating," she said. "Not just because of her death, but what led up to it.”
Rose didn’t die of COVID-19, but due to a failure to thrive after she stopped eating and drinking.
Randazzo calls it death by isolation.
"Is heart-wrenching and I get chills just thinking about, you just asking that, what those families must be experiencing," Randazzo said.
And Randazzo is upset families like hers wouldn’t be included in the proposed Justice for Nursing Home Victims Act, which would create a $4 billion fund for families with relatives who contracted COVID-19 and died in nursing homes. It’s a move for which Gov. Kathy Hochul recently voiced her support.
“Extremely angry that Gov. Hochul is able to acknowledge the families that had passings from COVID-19 deaths, but not acknowledge the fact that families are still struggling with families in isolation right now,” said Randazzo.
It’s not that she wants any money. She would just like to see that money go towards preventing future tragedies.
“Money isn’t going to bring them back," Randazzo said. "Why can’t this money go towards nursing home reform by making the changes necessary so it stops happening? Which hasn’t been done. And we asked for this well over a year ago.”