Congressman Glenn Grothman is looking to ensure nursing home residents can never again be denied visits from their loved ones in times of crisis.
The Randy Susen Nursing Home Visitation Rights Act was crafted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when nursing homes nationwide imposed strict visitation bans in the name of infection control.
The bill is named after Randy Susen, a resident of Wisconsin’s Sixth District, who passed away during the pandemic after being denied visits from his family.
Grothman said that “Randy’s health deteriorated rapidly when separated from the people he loved most,” including his wife Shirley Krause, who helped work on the legislation.
She recalled the experience, saying, “I could only see him through a window. His health declined from loneliness, and I was emotionally shattered by the separation. No patient or family should endure such inhumane pain.”
Grothman also noted, “Tragedies like Randy Susen’s must never be repeated.”
More details on the Randy Susen Nursing Home Visitation Rights Act can be found at Grothman.House.gov.
