Braemar Senior Living recently told their nearly 200 residents they are removing their personal landlines citing technical changes going from copper cables to fiber optics.
Earlier this week, Brookhaven Town supervisor Ed Romaine and councilman Neil Foley hosted a protest outside the senior living facility, located on North Ocean Avenue in Medford, with NYS Senator Dean Murray, NYS Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, and Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne, requesting the facility halt their plans to remove the in-room phones.
Foley started the protest with sentiments about his own mother, 82, who does not know how to use a cell phone properly.
“I would be very angry if this were happening to her,” he said upset about the situation. “The idea of asking people in their 80s, 90s, or even older, to work a cellphone is just ridiculous.”
“This could be a life-or-death situation,” he added explaining a resident could have chest pains or a stroke and the only thing they know is the phone next to them with a few buttons to dial 9-11. “They have to do what’s right. Let them keep their phones.”
Lori Fuhrmann, of Bellport, said her mother, Margaret Stuchell, a resident of the facility, will be 92 next month.
“I would have paid for an increase to keep the line,” she said, noting her mother is not capable of learning how to use a cellphone and depends on her landline for communication.
Pasquale Tavolacci, 90, and his girlfriend Paula Berman, 73, both are residents of the facility as well, spoke during the protest requesting their landlines remain.
“These poor people that don’t know the first thing about a cellphone they depend upon the landlines to speak to their loved ones,” Berman said of her fellow residents. “Some of these people have dementia and they can’t even find their way to their room.”
According to Tavolacci’s son, Steven Martino, the residents currently pay $65 a month for telephone, internet, and TV, however, he has yet to receive an email reply whether or not rates would lower should the landlines be removed.
According to Murray, who had communicated with representatives of the facility, they plan to hold off on removing the landlines until the first of the new year, help train their residents with cell phone use, and maintain seven landlines in an area of the community library. Even still, he said he requested the facility compromise and meets with individuals to take it case by case based on their needs.
Neither facility officials nor the head nurse responded to comment. Officials also reached out to the attorney general, however, they are limited in action being that the lines have not yet been removed and are in compliance with NYS Health Department regulations requiring one landline for every 40 residents.
As for the communal landlines, residents of the press conference called it prison-like and also noted some residents are bedridden and others are wheelchair-bound and cannot reach the wall phones.
According to Romaine, he and his colleagues Foley and deputy supervisor Dan Panico also penned and signed a letter stating the landlines should stay.
“We are going to insist the needs of the residents are met,” he said.
“Let them keep their lines,” said Foley ending the protest.
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