Dear Editor
Covid-19 and the subsequent deployment at long-term care homes of the Canadian Army has exposed a dirty secret ... the abuse, poor treatment and horrific living conditions in some of Canada’s long-term care homes.
The reporting is extensive and damning. Residents fed on less than nine dollars a day. Filthy living conditions. Resident safety and hygiene ignored. Unsafe living conditions which encourage Covid 19 infections. Physical and emotional abuse of seniors by the very people hired to care for them.
A nation-wide accreditation system for long-term care homes must be established immediately. Long-term care homes not meeting accreditation standards must be subject to oversight, external management, and in severe cases, closure.
Seniors must be included in both accreditation teams and in surveys/interviews by accreditation teams.
Accreditation must insure:
Standards of care, cleanliness, nutrition and safety are consistent, quality-driven and transparent.
Complaints are recorded, addressed and followed-up in accordance with accreditation standards.
Cases of abuse be documented, investigated and individuals charged.
Canada is so much better than this. Our seniors deserve so much better, and we deserve a system of holding long-term care homes accountable to the residents, relatives, health care agencies, senior’s advocates and taxpayers.
Keltie Paul
North Battleford
