Woman, 87, in senior community says she had to delay dialysis because snow wasn't cleared

A Smithtown woman who lives in a private community for seniors said she had to postpone two dialysis appointments Tuesday because snow from the blizzard hadn't been cleared in time for her to get to the hospital.

Gloria Pena, 87, who has lived in Siena Village on Bishops Road for 17 years, requires a wheelchair to be mobile outside. Pena said she had scheduled a dialysis appointment for 10 a.m. Tuesday. However, the snow blocked access for her ambulette service to take her to that appointment at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, about 10 minutes away.

Pena said she called the main office of the private community twice “and I told them I have to get the dialysis. It’s not a doctor’s appointment that I’m getting canceled, it’s my life. It’s life and death.”

The private community is owned and operated by Cleveland-based PK Management LLC.  Pena said she first called the office at around 8 a.m. to ensure snow was cleared from the parking lot entrance and walkway to her unit. Yet no crews were sent, she said.

She called again and was assured snow would be cleared around 12:40 p.m. so she could make her rescheduled appointment at 1, she said. But by the time the snow was cleared, it was too late for her to make that appointment, which she had to reschedule for 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, she said.

Pena said she also worried about her fellow senior residents who could face life-threatening issues if snow blocks emergency medical or other services from getting to them.

“If there’s an emergency, the ambulance wouldn’t be able to get in," Pena said. “This is not right. We’re frustrated here, we don’t know what else to do.”

Nicole Garguilo, Smithtown’s public information officer, said Tuesday the property is privately owned, so it's the property owner’s responsibility to clean those areas.

Joyce Walker, vice president of PK Management, said in a statement crews were on-site as of 10 a.m., and as of Tuesday evening, half of the property — which has nearly 30 acres, 20 buildings and “miles of sidewalks” — had been cleared.

“The third-party snow removal team will be on-site again tomorrow to complete all remaining sidewalks and parking lots. In the meantime, we are communicating and providing updates to our residents on the progress,” Walker said.

Garguilo added Siena Village residents with similar complaints could contact Town Hall, and the town, in turn, can reach out to management to ask them to plow.