In the wake of the heartbreaking loss local resident and business owner Kelsy Ramos, earlier this month, her family is now navigating a complex and emotionally charged battle to ensure the well-being of the elderly residents entrusted to her care.

Kelsy, who was reported missing on May 2 and later found deceased in Selma on May 5, was the operator of Golden Age Living, residential care homes in Newman and Turlock. Her mother, Teri Ramos, recently spoke out to clarify the family's position and their challenging interactions with state licensing authorities, as well as the distress caused by sudden directives given to families.

"The first thing I would like to say is the news made it sound like we said everyone had to be out right now," Teri Ramos stated, expressing frustration with initial perceptions. "They made it sound like we're shutting them down, that it's us and we're saying we don't want the places."

The core of the issue lies in licensing. Upon Kelsy's passing, the license to operate the facilities became void, leaving families in a state of uncertainty. While the Ramos family understood the legal implications, their primary concern was ensuring the welfare of the residents and the manner of their transition.

"I was very honest with them," Teri explained, referring to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Licensing Department. "Do I want to run a business? No. Do I want to get a license? No. But you would think since the houses are run so smoothly and amazingly with the staff that there would be something someone could do."

Families of residents were initially told they would have time to relocate after Kelsy's passing, but that abruptly changed when state licensing officials issued new directives. Cathleen Trayer, whose mother lived at Golden Age Living for three years, said families were blindsided when they received a text message from the facility’s manager on Monday stating that residents had to be out by Friday.

"All of a sudden, we were going from 'you have time' to being told 'no, you got to be out,'" Trayer told CBS News. "It's been very stressful for families."

The Ramos family felt they were met with resistance rather than assistance from CDSS Licensing.

"It just feels like they were trying everything they could to say no to everything instead of finding a reason or a way to keep it open, and that was frustrating for us," Teri shared. "They did make it sound like, well, the Ramos family wants you to know, they’re shutting it down. We know that has to happen eventually, but we want it in a timely manner and we want it so that the least amount of trauma to these people."

In conversations with officials, the family introduced the term "transfer trauma" to describe the potential harm caused by forcing elderly residents to relocate too quickly. According to Teri, that shifted the conversation, with licensing officials later revising their stance.

"Now that we have used these words," she said, "all of a sudden, the California Department of Social Services Licensing Department has changed their tone and is now saying they have 60-90 days or more."

This was a stark contrast to what the family says they were initially told.

"California Department of Social Services Licensing Department... tells us that without a license you're out of compliance basically... and we have to do this as soon as possible," Teri recounted. "They told us things have changed and the residents need to be out in 48 hours, which meant Friday. They were saying they had 48 hours, I said, 'Whoa, slow your roll, how that's possible?' because some of them would need TB shots and tests before they can go somewhere else, and then you're waiting for that... it's just a whole process."

The family repeatedly sought alternatives to keep residents in place until they could be safely relocated.

"We kept saying, isn't there something someone can do, somebody temporary or somebody who already is a licensed person? They told us no, it's not transferable like that," Teri lamented.

Compounding the situation was California law, which guarantees assisted living residents at least 60 days written notice before eviction, even in the case of facility closure. Many families had already paid through the end of May and had not received formal eviction notices, raising concerns about legal violations and further adding to the confusion surrounding the transition process.

Despite the immense pressure and grief, the Ramos family has fought to ensure the residents could stay in place until they are safely relocated. After their discussions with CDSS Licensing, officials agreed to extend the move-out timeframe to 60-90 days or more, allowing for a more compassionate and orderly transition.

The family said their focus remains on minimizing distress for the residents Kelsy cared for, ensuring that the process unfolds in a thoughtful, humane manner rather than through bureaucratic urgency.