The Forgotten Ones
The Covid nightmare disrupted culture and brought horrific social realities to the forefront. The shocking neglect of vulnerable seniors riveted me as one story after another vomited about the forgotten ones left without food, water, or toileting assistance—a hideous wake up call about an unprecedented battle zone.
As I watch this disturbing news, I’m asking: why weren’t these homes more prepared?
We know that both the economic and social disruptions of this health crisis created a contributing gap. Care homes depend on visiting family members to ring the bell about potential concerns. When this doesn’t happen, the practical gatekeeping falls apart quickly. Neither politicians nor supervisors foresaw this red flag before the virus bloomed.
The disasters ripened when staff became sick and part-time and temporary workers refused to enter the danger zone. When government subsidies provided an easy out for older workers with vulnerable health, responsible employees were left carrying the can—and many became sick and sadly, some died.
As citizens, we cringed watching the saga unfold like a Stephen King novel as governments grappled with the problem and sent in the military to clean up the mess—only to discover that peacekeepers aren’t equipped for this type of war either—and then they got sick. After that, the buck got lost in the mud and we’re still waiting for the clean-up.
The reality is that despite decades of warning by public health—no one believed that the wolf was at the door. We—both individually and collectively (including all levels of government, health care agencies and long term care homes)—were focused on managing our daily budgets and getting the best bang for our buck. We knew Gramma needed better care, but… everyone procrastinated. It’s the old story of out of sight, out of mind.
My concern as the restrictions ease, is that this story will disappear from the headlines and we will mistakenly assume that the problem has been resolved. Therefore, I feel it imperative to plead for awareness and raise a banner of caution that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
The first step to fixing a problem is to admit you have one. As a responsible society, we need to acknowledge that we were wrong.
We’ve sinned by being ignorant of the invisible sick and vulnerable who live in sheltered prison-like surroundings unable to advocate for their own well-being. We sin with busyness that keeps us distracted from the pain and suffering in those cloistered communities. We’re blind to their absence in our living areas and shopping spaces. We’re deaf to their cries outside our noisy environment. We’re cold and dismissive to their pain.
As a society, we need to do better. Repentance is the beginning, but it’s not enough. We need to turn around and choose another path—one that is inclusiveness of the vulnerable. The invisible voice-less will continue to be ignored unless there is systemic and systematic change.
History has proven that money never solves the root cause of social inequities, but frequently this is the carrot that encourages the horse. The Russian experiment proved that selfishness and greed always rise to the surface regardless of good intentions at the outset.
No one knows how this crisis will end, or even if it will. We are all adjusting to the new normal and coping with life one day at a time. As we carry on trying to reset our routines, we must not forget that there are those who don’t understand the realities and complications of the altered world. They still need to be cared for, loved and supported.
If you like this article and want to read more like this, please let me know. I’m concerned about social policy, mental health, and the vulnerable.
