Albany family pulls loved one out of nursing home, offers solution to nursing home crisis
ALBANY NY (WRGB) - Albany County officials announced over 200 nursing home residents in the county have tested positive for COVID-19.
And it’s not just in Albany County. COVID-19 is ravaging long term care facilities across the country. According to data collected by the Associated Press, coronavirus has killed close to 11,000 people in nursing homes nationwide, making them one of the most terrifying places to be during this pandemic.
Fearing for their loved one’s life, family members have started to take them out of these homes temporarily.
MORE: 29 deaths in 24 hours: COVID-19 devastates nursing home facilities across New York State
That's what Natalie Gama and her family did for her 99-year old grandmother who is a resident of Teresian House Nursing Home in Albany.
“The first goal was to get her out of there and keep her covid negative in a setting that was becoming increasingly positive,” said Gama.
Gama said her family will take over in providing her grandmother the care she needs and presented Teresian House with their home care plan.
Gama said their care plan involves a rotation of three family members.
MORE: 11,000 deaths: Ravaged nursing homes plead for more testing
“We can take the burden off you and hold her with us where we know everybody is healthy and not moving out of the house and only bringing doctors in if necessary, so I think it really did work for all and I think your Teresian House saw that,” said Gama.
“Our new question is ‘do we have to pay rent to hold her spot at Teresian House,” said Gama.
“Anybody who’s ever tried to get someone into a nursing home knows that it can be an eight months long process and likely, after this, will be even longer,” said Gama.
MORE: Governor Cuomo hits nursing homes with strict rules to combat drastic increase in deaths
Every nursing home has their own policy in regards to holding a resident’s bed.
Albany County officials tell CBS6 that Shaker Place Rehabilitation & Nursing Center doesn’t offer its residents the option for temporarily leaving. If a resident leaves, they must reapply for admission
Teresian House tells CBS6 it's a complex situation for them and it depends on the type of coverage the resident has. They’ll be sending an official statement to CBS6 on Thursday.
