CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO – The family of a 96-year-old Wheeling woman who died of COVID-19 alone has asked the hospital where it happened to change it’s visiting policy.
Though Madelyn Calabrese had six children, 16 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren, none of them were with her during her final moments.
“She should have been with one of her children or grandchildren; she deserved that,” said granddaughter Margaret Sundstrom.
The woman’s daughter, Jean Graf, told CBS 2 Chicago, they begged NorthShore Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview to be allowed to visit.
"They just kept saying no, no, no,” Graf said.
Finally, on the day she died, they were allowed to visit.
“They allowed us to stay for about 30 minutes, and, you know, then they said we had to leave. The 30 minutes was up. And that was about, I don’t know, 8:30 at night and she died at 11,” Graf continued.
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Sundstrom said nobody was there to hold her hand as she died.
“That’s all we wanted was someone to be with her the entire time and not just her, but we want that for anyone,” Sundstrom said.
A representative of NorthShore Glenbrook said, “Our visitor policies have been in place to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of our patients, visitors, and team members.”
After the family sent a letter to the hospital a patient advocate said they’re taking another look at the visitor policy.
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