New Jersey, NJ – While lawmakers enact recommendations to bolster nursing home
protections; the families of loved ones lost in the states nursing homes demand answers. It is
clear that our seniors were not made a priority then or now. The unbearable grief that families
have suffered due to the policies of Governor Murphy; requiring that nursing homes admit Covid
positive patients demands a response. Since the COVID-19 shutdowns began in March, families have
been kept from visiting loved ones for over six months, and to date a family member is not
considered an essential care provider for their loved one.

It is absolutely vital that our government come up with a solution that empowers seniors, and
families to be safe, respect those who have passed, and remain united in our fight against COVID-19
and its byproducts. The co-founder of Voices for Seniors Vivian Zayas said: “We owe a duty to the
seniors today, as they were our caregivers yesterday. We call on Governor Murphy to do more to
provide transparency for those that have died, and to announce a plan for the future. A plan that
is actionable, and effective, and it must allow for the families input, and participation.”
Vivian Zayas and Alexa Rivera, who lost their mother Ana Martinez in April, are founders of the
Facebook group VoicesForSeniors. They are advocating for families who are suffering due to the loss
of a loved one in a nursing home, or other long-term care facilities, as well as against neglect,
abuse, and the effects of isolation in our vulnerable elderly population.

For more information about Voices For Seniors, like us on Facebook or visit us online at
www.voiceforseniors.com.