Editor:
Re: Paterson pitch to politicians, June 20
While we admire and support the efforts of the Delta Seniors' Planning Team to raise issues of interest for seniors in Delta, we at KinVillage were disappointed and dismayed by the reference in this article to the warehousing and drugging of seniors living in care.
As a provider of longterm residential care in Tsawwassen, our goal is to provide person-centred care for each resident who lives at KinVillage, their home. This happens through a partnership between the residents, their family members and loved ones, and our physicians and staff, who are committed to understanding each resident's unique needs and to using a broad range of strategies to help residents realize their best possible quality of life. Medication is only one of the approaches and, as in many care homes, KinVillage actively and consciously strives to reduce the use of medication overall.
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are prevalent amongst today's residents of long-term residential care. Fortunately organizations like the Alzheimer's Society have provided practical understanding about the experience of living with these diseases.
This, together with current philosophies such as Gentle Care and the Eden Alternative have taught us much about how to better support those living with declines in their mental abilities that are severe enough to interfere with their daily lives. We've seen a significant shift during the past two decades in approaches to long-term care.
While an improved physical environment, such as the village model identified by ML Burke, has the potential to enhance a residents' experience, the most important factor in successfully supporting residents' quality of life are the attitudes, knowledge and behaviours of staff. We often receive kudos about our staff from our residents and their family members and know that KinVillage is not unique is this regard.
Inferring that drugging and warehousing residents is the norm in long-term residential care is unfair and, worse, unhelpful. It reinforces outdated, negative images and it unnecessarily scares people, particularly older adults and their families.
Dr. Christine Gemeinhardt, Medical coordinator, KinVillage long-term residential care
Donna Ellis CEO, KinVillage
