109 Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers Alicia Bridges · CBC News · Posted: March11, 2020 Health workers say Sask. system failing to protect elders, vulnerable adults from neglect and abuse A Saskatchewan patient — unable to care for themselves due to cognitive impairment — was kicked and punched down the stairs at home. Another was left on the floor for several days with no food or medication. These are real situations described by Saskatchewan health care workers who say they are powerless to help when legal caregivers are abusing or neglecting people with intellectual disabilities. "People in the community would be highly shocked," said Dr. Lilian Thorpe, a geriatric psychiatrist in Saskatoon. "Abuse is the far end ... the more common thing is more neglect and a care provider just not being able to respond." Dr. Thorpe said that although a legal avenue exists for authorities to intervene, those steps are not necessarily being taken. 'Terrible situations' In 2018 a Joint Ethics Committee for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) called for better legislated protections for vulnerable adults, such as people with cognitive impairment from brain injury, intellectual impairment and conditions like Alzheimer's Disease. Under the current system, an individual can appoint a "proxy" person to make healthcare decisions on their behalf when they can no longer do so themselves. If a proxy has not been appointed, that responsibility will lie with a next of kin. But Dr. Thorpe said that when health care workers see that person making decisions that lead to perceived harm, neglect or abuse, there is no effective mechanism for a public body to take over guardianship of the patient. "It's really traumatizing for staff because the staff ... there would be social workers and nurses that are seeing somebody coming in and out in really, really terrible situations and they are stuck," said Dr. Thorpe. The 2018 report said several incidents of this nature occurred every year. "It's easy to blame the care provider, the family member, but often those people are in really difficult situations themselves so they might have addictions or mental health issues of their own," said Dr. Thorpe. "They're trying to do the right thing but they eventually may lose it and do something that's not in that person's interest." The SHA said the report was a working document. "This report has not been presented to [SHA] leadership for discussion yet nor have its recommendations been endorsed by SHA. Once SHA leadership has a chance to review the report, a decision will be made whether to pursue its recommendation." Other provinces, such as Ontario, have independent boards set up to consider complaints about family members caring for vulnerable patients. The board in Ontario has the Dr. Lilian Thorpe says better protections are becoming increasingly important as more vulnerable people are living at home rather than in care. (Roger Cosman/CBC) 'People in the community would be highly shocked,' says geriatric psychiatrist Dr. Lilian Thorpe 'Abuse is the far end ... the more common thing is more neglect and a care provider just not being able to respond,' says Dr. LilianThorpe. (Shutterstock / vuqarali) continued
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