During this coronavirus pandemic, scores of the dead are coming from nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
While it is understandable that the elderly by nature of their age likely had pre-existing conditions, there have been longstanding issues regarding notification of family, personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers and communication with government.
Thus KCP put the following question to the three candidates – Brandon Patterson (D), Marko Kepi (R) and Michael Tannousis (R) – running in the upcoming 64th Assembly District race with the Republican Primary being June 23 and the general election on Nov. 3. The district covers Bay Ridge and Staten Island.
Given that the NY State Department of Health is the regulatory government body overseeing all nursing homes, what kind of legislation and/or measures concerning nursing homes would you advocate for as a state assembly or senate member?
Brandon Patterson: “Any candidate who has a legislative solution right now isn’t fit for office. I was in government after Hurricane Sandy, and we need to treat this in a similar fashion. Let’s get through this crisis, and then create a state-wide task force to listen to the facts. When I get up to Albany, I’ll travel around the state to hear what experts say, and come up with solutions then. You’re not going to get answers now through staged photo ops and political rhetoric.”
Marko Kepi: “Sadly during this health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen a disproportional amount of fatalities coming out of nursing homes and rehabilitation centers in Brooklyn. While it is true that demographically those populations are more predisposed to suffer it is no excuse for leaving our elderly loved ones so vulnerable. Aside from issues regarding life and death we have also seen a total failure in terms of family notification and protective equipment for nursing home workers and residents as well as a complete communications failure in terms of intergovernmental response.
“That’s why starting day one, one of my first pieces of legislation will be to overhaul the entire NYS department of health specifically with regards to a new code of care for all rehabilitation centers and what I will be calling a nursing home resident Bill of Rights. Furthermore, I will submit legislation that directs federal funding for coronavirus given to NYS in the form of grants to be directed towards nursing homes and rehabilitation centers to be increased by 100%.”
Michael Tannousis: “It is hard to believe that government has deemed it acceptable to not have sufficient basic preparations for a major medical emergency such as this. It is clear that we need to have higher thresholds for PPE and ventilator stockpiles in possessions of nursing homes and the Department of Health. We must be talking to the experts on the ground and ensure the free flow of all information and supplies is swift and adequate.”
