CABOT, Ark — Families across the state continue to remain hopeless about when they can visit their loved ones, even after Gov. Hutchinson issued an easing of guidelines for nursing home visits about a month ago.
Janet Caldwell described the separation as "unjust."
"It's been 240 days since my mother's had a hug from me, she's had a kiss from me, she's held my hand," she said.
February 14 was the last time Caldwell was able to feel her mother's touch.
"Words cannot describe the rollercoaster of emotions that occur in a given hour or day," she said.
The last eight months for Caldwell filled with anxiety, despair, and sleepless nights.
"Every time the telephone rings and I see it's my mother's nursing home calling I'm like, 'oh no.' My heart drops," she said.
But it's not just taking a toll on Caldwell. Her 87-year-old mother Annie Knych is feeling the pain too.
"She's a very faithful religious woman, she relies on her faith to get her through, but she's breaking down," she said.
At Knych's nursing home in Cabot, Caldwell said about 50 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Her mother, thankfully, not in that group.
"My mother has been in the elite few, they call her. Maybe eight or nine people that have not contacted COVID," she said.
On Oct 6, Gov. Hutchinson eased nursing home restrictions. Allowing visitations after just 14 days without any cases, instead of twenty-eight.
Also, letting visitors occur even when there are cases in the facility if needed for the resident's mental health or end-of-life care.
According to Caldwell, this isn't enough.
"We should be able to have more of an opportunity to make the decision of what should be best for mom and dad," she said.
Caldwell described it as a "sad and desperate situation." She said family members inside the nursing homes are losing their lifelines and there's only so much talking through a screen that can heal.
"240 days have been stolen from us, have been robbed from us and our families. Time we will never get back," she said.
According to Caldwell, there is a system that has worked well in Florida, where family members can go inside of the nursing homes and take care of their loved ones.
She said a group of Arkansans have reached out to Gov. Hutchinson trying to see if they can get the same system implemented here.