FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 12, 2022
Official Opposition Green Caucus support Island Families calling for public inquiry into long-term care on Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown, PE – Imagine being confined to your bed for days on end with no one answering your calls for help. Or imagine not being able to bathe for weeks because there is no one to help you. Or imagine not being able to go to the washroom on your own and being left to sit in soiled clothing because there aren’t enough staff to provide the dignity and care you need.
“I can only imagine the shame and anger a person goes through when they learn that their mother, father, or loved one prematurely passed away and did not receive the care they needed,” said Michele Beaton. “Islanders deserve to know the truth about the state of long-term care on Prince Edward Island. We owe it to the family members and we owe it to the frontline healthcare workers that have been raising concerns for years.”
Today two Island families shared the experiences of their loved ones while in long-term care on Prince Edward Island.
“My family member entered long-term care in November 2019. During her stay, she was often left without the care she needed,” said Jean Cutcliffe. “She had an untreated urinary tract infection caused by an improperly maintained catheter. She was dehydrated so badly, her eyelids were stuck to her eyeballs.”
“When our mother broke her arm, her only option was long-term care. Within 36 days she lost her independence, dignity and finally her life,” said Patricia Thorburn Maneta.
The Official Opposition Green Caucus joined them in their call to Premier King to immediately launch a full public inquiry into long-term care.
“Our office has heard from a number of other families who lost loved ones and from frontline workers in long-term care homes,” said Peter Bevan-Baker, Leader of the Official Opposition. “Their stories, and those shared this morning, are heartbreaking and alarming. They clearly show why a full public inquiry is necessary.”
The Official Opposition is calling on Premier King to immediately launch a public inquiry with the necessary resources, authority, and time to fully uncover the challenges within long-term care on PEI and to determine what is needed to fix it going forward.
Islanders who have had experiences either with a loved one in long-term care or as a worker in long-term care are also invited to reach out to the Official Opposition and to share their experiences. With permission, we will use and share these experiences to inform conversation about the realities for some of our seniors in long-term care.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
Tel: (902) 213-0718
Email: jdhamel@assembly.pe.ca