Dear editor,
This is not meant to criticize well-run long-term care facilities, of which there are many. However, there are countless centres that are disgraceful in every respect.
Many people who visit parents, friends or married partners at these facilities, even though they complain, run the gauntlet of bureaucratic nightmare. We’ve all seen care homes that are ill-run, badly staffed, filthy or allow abuse in many forms.
We’ve all heard it from the media, word-of-mouth and from people who have personally experienced the above.
It is no secret that the majority of deaths caused by COVID-19 in Canada occur among the elderly. Assuming this is true…why? Who is ultimately responsible for this? Can this be narrowed down to poor inspection of these premises, mismanagement or greedy owners?
If so, someone or some organization should be held responsible and severely punished, starting with the worst of the worst. An example must be made and made quickly, so that our elderly, who have worked so hard in their lives, can leave this earth with dignity. Justice in the form of severely imposed heavy fines, incarceration or loss of licence should be quickly imposed. It is not the time for committees or inquiry. It is a time for action.
It is obvious that watchdogs worth their salt should be the guardians of our elderly. Or they should be quickly terminated.
The sooner this is cleaned up, the sooner COVID-19 will diminish and the sooner we can get back to near normalcy.
Ron Gobeil,
Parksville