Karla Abraham-Conley still struggles to contain her frustration about her mom’s last days.

“Nobody should ever die the death my mother died,” said Abraham-Conley, who lives in Utica.

Battling Alzheimer’s, her mom had been living in a nursing facility before the pandemic started.

“We were there every single day," she said. "My dad was there all day during the day, I was there when I got out of work."

But as COVID-19 spread and lockdowns went into place, her visits were cut off, depriving her mom of a familiar face.

Abraham-Conley says it all took a toll. Her mom’s health declined, and she eventually ended up in the emergency room before dying last fall.

Now, Abraham-Conley is looking to Congress to take action to make sure her story is not repeated.

Earlier this year, New York Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney introduced legislation aimed at ensuring that family members and other so-called "essential caregivers" get access to long-term care facilities, even during a public health emergency.

Abraham-Conley joined Tenney in Washington this week for a press event, calling on lawmakers to pass the bill.

“The separation caused already vulnerable populations to suffer even more,” Tenney said of the pandemic lockdowns.

The bill - which has bipartisan cosponsors - would open the door to two designated "essential caregivers" per resident, allowing them to visit for up to 12 hours each day.

Those individuals would have to follow safety protocols much like the facility staff, according to a summary of the bill provided by Tenney’s office.

Earlier this year, state lawmakers in Albany approved their own legislation granting caregivers access during a health crisis.

Tenney’s bill, which is currently in the earliest stages on Capitol Hill, would take that effort nationwide.

“Essential caregivers are not just visitors - they are, as the name implies, caregivers. They help with activities of daily living and provide emotional support and companionship,” Tenney said.

Abraham-Conley believes that if she had been allowed inside the nursing home to check in on her mom’s care, it could have made a big difference. “My mother would be alive - 100% be alive right now today,” she said.