Loved ones of long-term care residents are speaking out about the importance of getting facility staff vaccinated.

This comes after President Biden’s announcement that all staff must now be vaccinated for homes to receive Medicare and Medicaid funding. 

Mary and Steve Daniel have been married for 25 years, and most days you could find them together.   

Mary made a promise to Steve that their relationship would not change following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

“I would never leave his side, that I would be with him every step of the way,” said Daniel. 

She kept her promise. After placing Steve in a memory care facility two years ago, she would visit him every evening.   

Then the pandemic hit, and the facility Steve was in closed its doors to visitors. 

“This isn’t going to work for me. I go to see him every day,” said Daniel. 

She looked for any way to get into the facility to be with Steve. It was critically important for his mental and physical health.   

After weeks of being locked out, Daniel got a call from facility management, who knew she was desperately trying to see her husband.  

“We have a part-time job available if you’d like it. I said 'I will take it. That sounds good to me. What is it by the way?' And they said it’s a dishwasher. So, dishwashing it is,” said Daniel.    

Mary washed dishes in the facility to be by her husband’s side. It was a promise kept — even through a pandemic.   

And Mary has been advocating for long-term care residents and their families ever since.

She said a good step forward is President Biden’s announcement that he will require long-term care staff to get vaccinated. 

According to the CDC, only around 47% of staff in Florida facilities has gotten a shot. 

“It’s incredibly disappointing because we want you to protect our loved ones the way that we’re willing to do that,” said Daniel. 

Mary has also turned her experience into action. She started a group called Caregivers for Compromise, with each state having its own chapter. 

Whether it be vaccinations or PPE, Mary said most loved ones of residents are willing to do whatever it takes to see them.

“We want everybody to take every measure that we possibly can to keep our residents safe, but it’s very important that we never get locked out again,” said Daniel.   

Federal legislation called the Essential Caregivers Act has been introduced to congress.

It would give designated essential caregivers access to their loved ones living in nursing homes during future public health emergency.