Wife Starts New Career to See Husband at Plattsburgh, NY Nursing Home

A wife of more than 3 decades, who couldn't hug her husband, got a job at his nursing home in Plattsburgh, New York so she could see him everyday.

John and Cynthia Romano met in 1977 at the Champlain border crossing where they both worked. This year the couple will celebrate their 31st anniversary.

For the past couple of years, John has been living in the Plattsburgh Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. When COVID hit, no visitors were allowed inside New York long-term care facilities. John and Cynthia could only see each other with Facetime or through a window. Cynthia decided to get a job at the facility so she could see him in person.

Cynthia joined the kitchen staff, and then moved into housekeeping. "We did everything together so being separated was really hard," Cynthia told NBC 5.

Cynthia isn't the first one to find a way to get closer to her loved one by getting a job.

Mary Daniel hadn't seen her husband Steve, who is fighting Alzheimer's, for three month. So she got a job as a dish washer at a long term care facility in Florida, according to ABC 7.

The couple have been married for 24 years. After her part-time shift, Mary is now able to visit with her husband.

Nursing Home Visits Allowed in New York

Visitation in now allowed at nursing home facilities in New York if visitors take a rapid test before entering. New York State Department of Health is providing the tests to nursing homes for free.

Any nursing home in counties with COVID positivity rates less than 5% won't require rapid testing before visitors are allowed in. If the rates are between 5-10%, testing will be required at least 72 hours in advance. Any facility in a county with higher than 10%, will not be allowed visitors. All nursing homes must provide a separate room for visitation.

Get the full nursing home guidelines from the New York State Department of Health.