“It is good news to hear that family members will finally be able to visit their loved ones in our nursing home facilities. People from across the state have taken time to call and zoom with us to explain the cruel impact of isolation and the devastating impact of being separated from their loved ones. This is a long overdue action to end the suffering our families have endured and that we have consistently demanded. We have been urging the Department of Health for many months to end the separation and to reunite our families, so this announcement is welcomed. However, while we await the details of the visitation process from DOH and in order to avoid separation of our families if we ever have to face another pandemic, it is more important than ever that we pass our legislation (S614B/A1052B) to codify nursing home visitation rights and prevent the needless suffering and isolation of our families.”