Long before #COVID19, I spent time with B.C. families who were pointing out that Canada’s long-term-care system — in particular a chain of care homes in B.C. owned by the Chinese government — was broken. Now they’re ‘furious and scared’. thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar
My photographer friend Jen Osborne told me last year about a group of women on Vancouver Island that formed to organize after a series of incidents made them think their husbands were being severely neglected at a senior home run by Retirement Concepts. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
This is Delores and Don. They've lived on Vancouver Island since 1978 following Don's career in the navy. When he got dementia, Delores took care of him as long as she could, but when a government-subsidized spot at a care home opened up, she thought he would be safer there. 
Delores is a journalist and thought she had done enough research to find a good home where Don would have his own room. She couldn't have known that his facility would be one of 4 seized by the government for failing to meet basic standards. thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar
The coronavirus isn’t the first thing to put seniors in harm’s way. It was a “nightmarish” situation for some much earlier, showing why families say sweeping changes were needed to elder care in this country long before anyone had ever heard of #COVID19: thestar.com/news/canada/20…
I'm a former China correspondent and specialize in China issues at @TorontoStar, so I was drawn to this story first because the chain of retirement homes at the centre of the abuse allegations are owned by the Chinese government. It's a convoluted story: thestar.com/news/canada/20…
The family members wrote letter after letter to Canadian officials about the treatment of their loved ones.
But they didn’t bother mailing letters to the owners of the company, the Chinese government.
“It would’ve been a waste of postage,” Broten said. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
But they didn’t bother mailing letters to the owners of the company, the Chinese government.
“It would’ve been a waste of postage,” Broten said. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
I spoke with the women on the phone before meeting in person, but wasn't prepared for their stories of realizing their husbands were alone, wounds festering, hit by other residents because of understaffing. There's a class action lawsuit in the works. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
This is a video I took of Greta Judd and Sharon Jackson, outside the Comox Valley Seniors Village that was one of four in the chain seized by the B.C. government for failing to meet standards of care. Edits: @kelseyleewilson @TorontoStar #COVID19
Called “Crying Out Loud”, the family group has been fighting to bring attention to what they call systemic oversights that make government-subsidized senior homes in Canada unnecessarily vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
Photo by Jen Osborne instagram.com/jen_osborne_ph… #COVID19
Photo by Jen Osborne instagram.com/jen_osborne_ph… #COVID19
Canada’s first #COVID19 death was a man in his 80s, a resident of a care home in Vancouver. Currently, 21 B.C. homes including Dufferin, which is part of the Retirement Concepts chain, have a total of more than 200 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 47 deaths. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
What about the Chinese gov't ownership of Retirement Concepts?
It was a sale B.C. opposed from the start.
@SrsAdvocateBC: “It’s possible” foreign owners may be less likely than domestic owners to deliver quality care.
Frankly, that’s hard to prove. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
It was a sale B.C. opposed from the start.
@SrsAdvocateBC: “It’s possible” foreign owners may be less likely than domestic owners to deliver quality care.
Frankly, that’s hard to prove. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
I went inside Comox Valley Seniors Village to see what it was like after the government takeover. It seemed as if there was more staff than before, Delores said. I also met her husband, Don, while he was having dinner with other residents. @TorontoStar
Understaffing is a problem facing the senior care industry worldwide.
Aides who struggle to earn a living wage work at multiple homes to make ends meet. According to officials, this could have been a reason for such a high rate of #COVID19 at care homes. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
Aides who struggle to earn a living wage work at multiple homes to make ends meet. According to officials, this could have been a reason for such a high rate of #COVID19 at care homes. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
Would you feel the same?
Broten's pre-existing concerns have now turned to outrage as she watches #COVID19 devastate other long-term-care facilities. Unable to visit because of lockdown protocols, her anxiety has skyrocketed.
Thanks for reading: thestar.com/news/canada/20…
Broten's pre-existing concerns have now turned to outrage as she watches #COVID19 devastate other long-term-care facilities. Unable to visit because of lockdown protocols, her anxiety has skyrocketed.
Thanks for reading: thestar.com/news/canada/20…
Since #COVID19 social distancing measures were introduced, the "Crying Out Loud" group no longer meets at the coffee shop, but they have a website, and are continuing their letter-writing campaigns, which they now organize through Zoom video conferences. seniorsvoices.ca/crying-out-lou…
When I asked, "Why haven't I heard of these issues before?"
It's hard to face the sad reality of ageing, Greta said.
“You think you won’t end up in a place like that... Well, this could happen to you.
We’re fighting for you.” thestar.com/news/canada/20… #COVID19 @TorontoStar
It's hard to face the sad reality of ageing, Greta said.
“You think you won’t end up in a place like that... Well, this could happen to you.
We’re fighting for you.” thestar.com/news/canada/20… #COVID19 @TorontoStar
It's also really hard to talk about dementia, and people with dementia are among the most vulnerable in care homes.
Earlier this year, Don looked right at his wife and told her she looked beautiful.
“After he’s gone, no one will tell me I’m beautiful."
thestar.com/news/canada/20…
Earlier this year, Don looked right at his wife and told her she looked beautiful.
“After he’s gone, no one will tell me I’m beautiful."
thestar.com/news/canada/20…
All the women's husbands had government-subsidized spots in private care homes.
“(The government) basically gives these care home operators a lump sum of money and we trust that they’re going to deliver good care to people," @SrsAdvocateBC thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar
“(The government) basically gives these care home operators a lump sum of money and we trust that they’re going to deliver good care to people," @SrsAdvocateBC thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar
They're optimistic that public attention to issues at senior homes means authorities will take steps to save lives.
“We are going to keep fighting for those long-term changes. We didn’t know COVID was coming, but we knew there had to be changes" thestar.com/news/canada/20… #COVID19
“We are going to keep fighting for those long-term changes. We didn’t know COVID was coming, but we knew there had to be changes" thestar.com/news/canada/20… #COVID19
An issue in America as well:
Many thanks to my editors @keixote and @TanisFowler for believing in the importance of this story, sending me to Vancouver Island at a time when media budgets are tight, and going through the details with a fine-tooth comb: Grateful to work @TorontoStar 💙
Around the world, newspapers are shutting down. After #COVID19 is over, I don't know if outlets would have the ability to fund reporting of many more complicated stories like this. If you have the means, please consider supporting an outlet of your choice. thestar.com/subscribe
Another story from colleagues on national problems with retirement homes-- ‘Everyone knew this could happen:’ The deadly spread of #COVID19 through Canada’s seniors’ homes thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar
The families want Canada to consider eliminating for-profit care homes if they cannot monitor them properly.
“I thought a privately operated home would give the best care, but, boy, was I wrong,” said Greta, whose husband died from a norovirus outbreak: thestar.com/news/canada/20…
“I thought a privately operated home would give the best care, but, boy, was I wrong,” said Greta, whose husband died from a norovirus outbreak: thestar.com/news/canada/20…
