Dear Editor:
RE: Nursing home inspection reports reveal resident injury and verbal abuse, Oct. 7.
Caressant Care resident homes have, in some documented cases, failed to provide the care and respect our elderly both need and deserve. How, I wonder, can we afford to neglect our old age homes when they provide such an essential service to our citizens? The government needs to ensure that residents’ needs are met and are not being neglected.
Complaints at multiple Caressant Care locations show it is a system-wide problem. Are the PSWs short-staffed and therefore not providing the help they should be? Are they encouraged to cut corners to save money? We need to find the problem with the system and find a solution.
Ensure PSWs know the requirements and are supervised properly. Give PSWs the support they need so they don’t feel pressured to do the bare minimum. There is an issue here that cannot be allowed to continue.
Caressant Care is a for-profit organization. They are regulated by the government, but they are not enforcing proper care standards like they should be.
How can proper accountability be given with only six inspections over nearly an entire year?
The issue is not with the PSWs and blaming it on them is unfair and inaccurate. The issue lies with the MLTC and the management of the homes.
The inspectors only investigate specific complaints, and the correction plan they implemented is voluntary.
The MLTC, and Caressant Care, need to provide better inspection, make a clear plan to prevent further incidents, and work together not to save money or point the finger away from themselves, but to help our elderly.
Zachary Kottelenberg,
East Garafraxa