Deb and I survived 15 attempts to have her life support disconnected in one hospital alone - Stratford General Hospital - 17 attempts in total were made during the first year of her recovery. Why so many attempts to disconnect life support from someone who is visibly cognizant? And how many others on life support are faced with aggressive disconnect pressure? I think a reasonably fair estimate would be to say: in Ontario - Each and every one.
...after seven years of direct dealings with hypocritical decision makers, being continually 'buried' by 'red tape' and finally facing outright banishment for protesting inhumane care - it is time to speak out.
These pages will serve as an introduction to some of the basic - and some of the more complex health care issues users are being faced with. It will do so by way of corroborating specific incidents of death, assault, deprivation, and loss of human rights within health care through the use of audio and document evidence gathered from these organizations over a relatively short period of time. (At one point during SGH's request to disconnect life support I used third party witnesses (unknown to them) in hospital cafeteria to add to documentation of Ministry of Health usage of unethical practices.) This compilation shows how our government and long term care providers actively promote deterioration within health care. That 'evidence' is on the following pages, this page should give a graphic overview of the scope of that deterioration. One fact should emerge loud and clear, - costly and unethical health care is just the tip of one iceberg our government is steering us into.
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The health care issues on these pages are best examined by reviewing 'progress' produced by the partnership our government has created via Ministry of Health & corporate Long Term Care providers. These three have combined to deliver a devasting series of blows to 'end users' which often results in care for the 'long term care' recipient being worse than that given to 'strays' found in animal shelters. Much worse. Their solution to health care is the primary source of its' woes.
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Long Term Care is the technical name for the concentration camps for the elderly that hide crimes and incidents that will have you grinding your teeth before you are finished these pages. Going from hospital to LTC with Deborah was a giant leap from being solicited to abetting in 'murder' (via disconnect of life support) - to going to a place where death occurs from negligence, and where assault, abuse and a plethora of problems are dealt out on a daily basis. Many feel money, especially how money is distributed, is a major cause of health care problems, and we will take a brief look at that - as well as legislation and legislation enforcement, but, it is the serious lack of ethical decision making in health care management at all levels that has to be reckoned with at the end of the day.
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If the motive behind the neglect, abuse, and other allegations that are surfacing in health care 'seems' to be financially suspect in nature, consider the following: The Ontario health dollar accounts for 60% of government spending in this province. Simply put, it's a lot of money, it turns a lot of heads. High and low figures for the spending of money in Long Term Care are as illustrated: Per job, - Seniors 'hands on care' often amounts to less than forty cents per hour per senior, while administrative costs per job in the same field exceeds sixty dollars per hour. That works out to $3,504 per year per resident for 'aide' care, and $120,000 per year for the girl that 'answers the phone'. Currently, just over 3,000 health care employees suck over a half billion dollars in wages annually out of health care funds in this province. By comparison, 3,000 seniors 'round the clock' hands on care tallies up to less than 10 million dollars annually. 500 million vs 10 million dollars? It doesn't take an 'Einstein' to figure out that certain people have allowed their needs to be 50 times more a priority than those they look after.
In practical terms it means the elderly are expected to have quality of life on under 2% of what the 'elite' provider feels is required for theirs.
Imagine what the elderly's living conditions must be like! Negligence, assault, abuse ... these are poverty borne conditions. Many are living in fear, suffering, and dying needlessly, simply because a few are too selfish to care. Which people?
Considering that more people wanted to see Teri Schiavo live than wanted to watch her die, - I'm going to venture this statement: - the small handful that have first and final say in regards to those in Long Term Care, those that 'recommend' death solely for personal gain are 'those' people. That small handful is spearheaded by 3 people in Ontario. McGuinty, Smitherman, and Kingelin.
Funding 'distribution' is one of the main reasons nursing home residents are 'locked out' of their 'fair share' of the health care dollar. It is the reason life support disconnect attempts are relentless. Surely, those taking that 'dollar' must be held responsible for the consequences of diverting it. We are paying for the self indulgence of a few with gross loss of life, loss of human rights, and deterioration of every description, and - worse, - the example these people set in turn creates serious 'carry-over' trends outside health care.
Deprivation is growing in Long Term and Extended Care facilities by leaps and bounds. To 'save' money the Ontario government has seen fit to take over 1,600 mentally disabled individuals out of psychiatric facilities and place them into 'cut rate' LTC facilities of their own creation. Imagine these 'residents' dropping glassware on the floor, and leaving it for 80 year olds on walkers, and in thin slippers, to navigate through. Shards of glass left uncleaned, because of that facility's workers' general contempt for owners and residents alike.
Imagine going into these 'homes' and watching 'helpful' psychiatric residents wheeling seniors around like they were driving ATV's on an obstacle course. Former psychiatric residents who will rip healthy fingernails completely off their fingers without feeling pain whatsoever, - these people have free rein with the elderly. To date four seniors have been beaten to death in LTC facilties by these 'inmates', and I would question that number as to its accuracy, having some knowledge of how incidents like these are 'kept quiet' whenever possible. These former psychiatric inmates are people our profit making care givers deem compatible for tenancy with the fragile elderly. Does our government do anything to stop this? Why should they? They are the people who initiated these practices to 'save money'. One only need look at their wages to see where money is not being 'saved'.
Administration in LTC facilities such as the one Deb is in tried 'cutting' me deals where my complaints regarding Deborah's unseen to minimal care would be seen to if I gave them names of work to rule employees. Employees such as the ones that would not clean broken glass. I didn't. Result: trespass orders against me should I ever set foot on their property again, & virtual isolation for Deborah. The reason they gave CTV for the trespass differed from the reason they gave police. A link to the CTV coverage of that incident is posted on Deb's page. The reason the police used is posted on the details page. All three reasons violate residents rights. You will see why no one can challenge these 'people' when you see how government has given them 'free rein' to do whatever they want, so long as costs are kept down.
Why haven't others spotted this neglect? The main reason is because when we enter LTC facilities we see the window dressing long term care marketers use to STOP us from seeing the intentional understaffing and undertraining at their facility. We see lounges with the big screen T.V.s, aquariums, pool tables, etc., It's what visitors don't see that does the damage. I hope to show you some of that today.
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If you visit someone on a regular basis in these 'homes', reporting even the most serious incidents of abuse/neglect may very well result in that being your last visit. Attempts to drastically 'renovate' Residents Human Rights was chaired by cplodgesREIT ceo for LTC (Donna Kingelin) two years ago. The ministry of health and the biggest long term care provider are proposing amendments to human rights legislation that will ensure there never being a complaint laid against them for any reason. It is in the new residents Bill of Rights, a Bill which would officially take precedent over pre-existing Human Rights for those in LTC. It will make all residents rights subject to approval by LTC administration, and it will allow draconian disciplinary measures be taken against any 'complainers' by any LTC worker.
If Kingelin's recommendations were (or have been) approved, and you open your mouth to complain about anything, even to the lowest worker, "under the act" you can be served with notice of trespass, by police, on the grounds that that complaint constituted 'harassment' to them. And they are trained to interpret complaints as just that - interfering, and therefore, harassing. Under their residents rights act, there is no justifying any complaint. My own legal Power of Attorney for Deb's medical has been ignored by cplodges, they picked the person with whom they would have represent Deb's needs, and short of a massive legal battle, they are getting their way.
Would you risk losing visiting rights with your parents or your spouse by reporting abuse or neglect?
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There is more than a mere conflict of interest at stake when the government allows a 'for profit' company to determine human rights policy that affects the rights of the general public at large - in this case the visitor in their 'homes'. This is more than a slap in the face to the taxpayer. And you will see more on 'residents rights' compromises. For now, LTC providers are working hand in hand with Ministry authorities to keep complaints at 'zero'. I have included 2 audio tapes from Compliance workers on the 'details' page (in re: Compliance results) which corroborate this statement. To add insult to injury, LTC facility employees are rewarded for non-compliance to minimum standards. You will see a 'Pizza Party' poster from one of these 'homes' for having 'no unmet standards incidents' for one year in one of their facilities on the 'details' page. You will find complaints of abuse directed at cplodges are now being dealt with by cplodges as cplodges sees fit to hear them. (cplodge voices page)
The reality is that on an annual basis, there are in fact, literally thousands of unmet standards violations in some of these facilities. The behaviour of nursing home staff is as bad as official response to them. It gets much worse. As far as Ms. Kingelin, cplodges, and complaints are concerned, reporting serious incidents of abuse in cplodge homes is deserving of even more 'special' attention. Check the following link - http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1081472666331_50///?hub=Health
Kingelin's message is clear: If you are a health care professional and report abuse in a cplodge home you will be treated in kind.
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I have touched on money, living conditions, and human rights, - how will residents 'rights' be enforced by government's offices? Serious claims are going to be made here, including police cover up of negligent death.
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Police were involved at the 'home' Deb is in, as they were in other 'homes' that cplodges operates. They were there because residents Fred, Gwen, and Mary were beaten, dropped, and ignored. All three of them are now dead. I made audio tapes before they died and have posted excerpts on the 'voices' and 'details' page. These people still have something to say. Police covered up what they could in investigating these deaths, and simply ignored 'non-conforming' evidence. 'My' police 'investigation' never went beyond 'internal' scrutiny regardless of the fact key material witnesses outside of health care were available and were never contacted.
Investigators 'sanitization' of those issues shows how gross contempt for human life is endorsed at official levels. This is where the analogy of people being treated worse than shelter animals starts to strengthen. As is common with most elder abuse investigations, results are 'manufactured' allowing the long term care facility to get away with negligence, death, and similar offences. Thanks again to - Smitherman, Kingelin, and McGuinty. Remember when taking life was a crime? It was when we had Christian government. Remember when people that hid murder used to be considered accessories and accomplices to it?
That no longer seems to be the case.
I have been threatened twice by police as a result of reporting 'criminal' activity. Thanks Constable Visneski - Sebringville OPP. It's no wonder the financially and physically strained elderly would not report any type of nursing home violation regardless of severity or to whom it happenend.
The events aired in CTV's W5 program on nursing home abuse shows the kind of obstacles one encounters when trying to get action taken on serious incidents. (re: Norma Stenson incident) Those assaults were heard in court likely only because of CTV airing damning video evidence. I have audio tape and scared seniors for witnesses. They will be heard. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health, their Long Term Care associates, and the Police are continuing to serve themselves, much as the overpaid health care worker is - over the bruised and beaten bodies of those they have been hired to help and protect. Had CTV not aired that show, the perpetrators would still be helping themselves - hand over fist.
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In all likelihood my Deborah will die as she is currently being forced to live - in virtual isolation. This also is a fact. She joins a fast growing number. You can see Deb via the video link provided on her page on this site, you can virtually 'meet' several victims of health care negligence in these pages. Sadly, some of them are already dead as a result of 'care' received. Does this have to be? Smitherman says 'yes'. Kingelin says 'yes'. McGuinty says 'yes'. The police say 'yes'. They that comprise the 'small handful' with first and final say for Health Care say 'yes'.
It's time we said 'no'.
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I realize this compilation is the result of reporting many deficiencies spanning a 7 year period, and that it will seem 'raw' and incomplete. I can not change any of that without sacrificing the sense of immediacy needed for implementing changes vital to maintaining a secure living environment for those relegated to life in surroundings utterly devoid of humane care. A second website is under construction to deal with ongoing concerns. It will allow for posting and response to specific concerns, and facilitate real time support. The need to neutralize the complex components of abuse by making humane treatment top priority within basic regulatory processes is urgently required - and the means are available through which we can effectively address those obligations, - we're using them now.
A public inquiry could provide sufficient comment in regards to the havoc just three figures have created in Health Care, but it will not keep the door to change open. That is not the way the government works. First things first. Have a deeper look into the painful insult our elders are enduring at the hands of Long Term Care, listen to the tapes, ask yourself - who receives better treatment - our elders, or 'shelter' animals.
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For those who did not receive one of the emails that were used to launch this site, - welcome - addresses are appended from which you can receive more information.
I ask that anyone who has any unresolved complaint to contact me by phone or via one of the e-mail address provided. Other concerns can be forwarded to your MPP, local health organization, or possibly Police. A workable 'picture' of the scope and consequences of continued human rights abuse/deterioration will not be possible without additional investigation.
contact::
R Jones (519) 275-3360
rjones@debandlongtermcare.com
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created Aug 04/07
Robert P Jones/POA/
Deb Chambers
