Sask. senior care: ‘No family has ever said I wish I had done less’

Watch above: Controversy surrounds the amount of attention seniors receive at long-term care facilities following a recent death. Meaghan Craig tells us its prompting many people to take a step back and find out what they need to know to protect their loved ones.

SASKATOON – There is growing discord as more and more Saskatchewan families come forward with allegations of neglect in long-term care homes.  These are places families think will help them breathe a little easier and relieve them of some concern, when in fact they may be doing the opposite.

“This should be a concern and a wake up call to this government,” said NDP Leader Cam Broten.

Families say there’s no accountability when it comes to senior care because their loved ones were taken too soon.

“When there isn’t a family member, we don’t hear those stories,” said Broten.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When there isn't a family member, we don't hear those stories," said Broten.

Unfortunately, one group says stories like these are nothing new.

“We talked to a lot of family members who years later are still in stress because they felt that they weren’t able to protect their loved one from being mistreated,” said Lenora Andres, president of FACE Saskatoon.

Others, Andres explained, are silenced for fear workers will retaliate against the senior for speaking out.

“One family said as their mother was in the process of dying, a worker came in and said ‘Did you know your family came in and they’re saying you’re being such a crybaby’ and that was just an outright lie and that person died still worried that the family had called her a cry baby.”

FACE Saskatoon, otherwise known as Families Advocating for Compassionate Environments in long-term care homes, advises family members to visit their loved ones often and at different times of the day.

“Listen careful to what the residents are saying. If your resident can’t speak anymore, get to know the other family members, there are many family members that visit a lot, who are regulars, make their acquaintance,” said Andres. “Ask them ‘what’s going on? How is my grandpa being treated? How is uncle doing here?’ ask those questions.”

Even consider looking over a loved one physically if they have limited communication.

“Why would we even have to think in those terms, that’s the bigger question.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Why would we even have to think in those terms, that's the bigger question."

Each health region has a quality of care coordinator according to Health Minister Dustin Duncan, who suggests families with concerns regarding a family member’s treatment reach out to them.

Going forward Andres hopes the province will consult with workers, residents, families and families who no longer have a senior in care to come up with a plan on how to tackle these very complex problems aside from just increasing staff levels.

“At the end, no family that I know of has ever said I wish I had done less.”