A 60-year-old disabled woman in Charlottetown was found 5 months after she died in her apartment.
By Stephen Pate – A 60-year-old disabled woman in Charlottetown was found 5 months after she died in her apartment.
She died apparently in November 2010, almost five months ago, of natural causes.
While the story of someone lying dead or dying in their apartment sounds horrific, neglect of seniors with disabilities is an everyday occurrence for as many as 9,000 Islanders.
The public can expect more stories of seniors dying early and neglected as the population ages.
The Province of Prince Edward Island does not provide disability supports for seniors with disabilities.
Nor does the Province provide home care, despite the glossy brochures from the government.
A senior with reduced capacity from disability can easily end up abandoned and alone, unless they have a caregiver. Disability is a fact of live for seniors.
For example, I have been trying to get home care for a disabled woman in Stratford for months. She is past 70 and basically confined to an electric wheelchair. The home care intake person refused to help her.
Another woman in her 50s is severally disabled from spine problems but has been refused assistance. The occupational therapist proscribed a wheelchair three years ago but she doesn’t have one. We are trying to get her the paperwork that the PEI government demands before helping someone who looks and is disabled.
Why is the government ignoring seniors with disabilities?
Probably to save money. They have capped the number of people who can get help at 1,200 for more than five years in a Province with 22,000 people with disabilities. Seniors are even allowed to apply for disability supports.
There are at least 1,600 seniors with disabilities out of 9,000 seniors who need help today.
The government doesn’t care.
Helping seniors with disabilities was a promise of Robert Ghiz when he got elected. That promise is long forgotten when Premier Ghiz got interested in the $525 $540 million PNP scandal.
Premier Ghiz made sure his wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, aunts, uncles and cousins filled their bank accounts with PNP money. He didn’t buy any wheelchairs, walkers or hearing aids for seniors with disabilities.
Premier Ghiz is borrowing $500 million for patronage construction contracts for Liberal Party friends. He is not providing home care for seniors at risk.
Don’t be shocked or surprised when more deaths are reported. We will have to get used to it.
CBC Senior’s body found 5 months after death
Charlottetown Guardian Senior found dead in apartment five months after death
Island Deaths M. Elizabeth Berrigan
Committee recommends seniors get DSP coverage
Not enough help for PEI seniors with disabilities
Winni-Pig
I heard of a very interesting program in maybe France that places students with well seniors who just need a little household management help. I thought it sounded brilliant and something that should be investigated here.
Stephen Pate
There is a similar idea in the US where the government helps find younger people to help seniors as live ins. Rent is reduced or free depending on the work contribution from the younger person.
We suggested that to Sharon Cameron Deputy Minister of Seniors and the the Deputy Premier Chris LeClair almost four years ago. Nothing has happened.
Chris
I am no fan of the Ghiz Government but you can not blame the Government for this death no matter how much you Hate Ghiz.
This was terrible tragedy but it can’t be blamed on Government. First the womenw as only 60 and obviously in good health and wanted to live alone.
I would have to say I would place more blame squarely at this womens families feet.
If she was private apartment this would not even be a issue.
Grow Up Steve and stop trying to blame other people for everything.
Stephen Pate
Elizabeth Berrigan wasn’t in good health. At her age, the criteria for living at Park Royal Court are 1. disability and 2. poverty.
If she was poor, why not work? Because she was unable.
Elizabeth Berrigan was a victim of the PEI system of supports for the disabled.
Her story is one I know about more than I would like.
At my age, growing up seems a bit far fetched but thanks for the humorous suggestion.
Joseph
Chris: Your wrong. The Gov’t can be held responsible for this by people who don’t know any better, which is why it is on this website.
As a disability advocate, I know for a fact that websites like this one does nothing to help disabled individuals and only tarnishes any good working relationship with government.
Stephen Pate
There are all kinds of advocacy. If you don’t like my style move on.
I’ve done the appeasement thing for years and all it does is get you a job in the government or some NGO. The paid don’t speak up. They are paid off.
You can do it your way and I’ll do it mine. Let’s see if we get somewhere.
Nora Allen
I see this every day( I work in the homecare field), and have been seeing it for years now dating back to when my father was hurt in an auto accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down (an auto accident that could have been avoi…ded)
He had a nice house built for him th…rough a gov program designed for families w disabilities, He had around the clock care 24/7 from caring staff, good meals cooked for him daily, a 20,000 specialty bed, a powerized wheelchair, driveways cleared in the winter, MEDS!!
He lived in that house and was well taken care of for years up until he died there 8 years ago … I can’t say that our gov treated him poorly.
Then there’s the elderly and disabled that can no longer live alone, or rather have no family or loved ones that are able/willing to look after them. So the “Ghiz” gov puts them into a nursing home. My best friend works in a nursing home and she has for years! Ya know what she told me today .. she told me that people die alone all the time (we were discussing this sad case actually, if she has family they ought to be deeply ashamed of themselves!).
That she, as a caregiver has sat with many people while they died because there was nobody for them to call. These caregivers that the “gov” supply us with look after and care for the disabled and elderly on a daily basis. The gov gives them a warm bed to sleep in at night, 3 solid meals a day, nursing care, medication, COMPANIONSHIP ..
I can’t say thats not great care from our gov, and in all honesty, can you? Then there’s DSP, Pensions, and Social Services … Chairs, beds, medical supplies, transportation, meds, nursing care, lodging, phone, food .. all your everyday care and needs are met! How bad is that? I think it’s great! What more can a person want really .. Sure it’s not nice being disabled, and I bet it really sucks being a senior! But the bottom line of this whole ordeal is .. had this women had a voice, or someone close enough to her to “act” as her voice (someone that cared), she would have gotten the help she needed. The “help” is out there 🙂 I think we all should be greatfull!
Stephen Pate
You can’t be talking about PEI.
While 1,200 people with disabilities get some help, there are no caregivers for seniors with disabilities, no wheelchairs, no government built houses once you reach 65. The DSP is for those under 65 years of age. It will be nice if we could get universal DSP.
There are people I’m trying to get home care for right now who can’t get it.
Little Joe
Get your facts straight Mr Pate the woman who died was not disabled nor did she live in poverty. By adding the tag she was disabled just further compounds the issue. Oh and another thing… Park Royal residents do not have to meet your so called criteria 1)disabled 2) poverty….Where did you ever get this Bull@#$%. Oh and by the way I am privy to the facts whereas you obviously are not…..This was a tragedy but you and the public will never actually know the full story as some things must remain private.
Stephen Pate
We can always be corrected and appreciate updates. We go with the facts we have. The criteria for living in Park Royal Court are spelled out on the PEI Government website which is linked in the story. The building was funded by the Federal government for seniors or people over 55 years of age with disabilities. Social housing is for those in need and the rent is fixed at 25% of your income.
Little Joe
There is no resident in Park Royal that I know of who are disabled. There are no wheelchairs nor chair lifts for the second floor and all people there live independently. By adding the “disabled” tag to the headline in describing this person is wrong and manipulating the facts to suit a hidden agenda that you may have. I would ask you to remove this if you have any journalistic ethic.
Stephen Pate
Park Royal Court was built with Federal and Provincial money as a senior’s/55+ disability facility. (see the press announcement below).
Not all disabilities require use of a wheelchair, although mobility is common. There are wheelchair accessible accommodations at Park Royal because that’s the law Federally – you can’t get the money without having them.
Disabilities include impairment of vision, ability to grasp and hold, learning and other cognitive disabilities, and other limitations that significantly impair one’s ability to perform the everyday tasks of life.
We often can’t see who is disabled and who is not. People have learned to hide their disability to avoid social stigma, discrimination and possible abuse.
There is no hidden agenda other than Disability Alert reports stories about people with disabilities, stories that are often hidden by the government, CBC and The Guardian.
Ask a few simple questions. Why is a 60 year old woman called a senior? That’s not very old.
Why is she living in socially subsidized housing?
Why was she not working? Is she able to work or not? If she had been working, her co-workers or employer would have noticed an absence of 5 months.
Why was she living in social housing that has a waiting list of more than 500 people below the minimum age, except in the case of someone with a disability?
Why do you want to deny the possibility of disability? It’s not a sin to be disabled. 22,000 people on PEI have some disability or another. For people over 64 years of age it is quite common – there are 9,000 seniors with one or more disabling conditions.
What’s a sin is that the Government of PEI ignores seniors with disabilities, refusing to provide disability supports for those 65 and over.
Park Royal Court Seniors Project
7 Park Royal Court Charlottetown, PEI May 22, 2009 (press release) statement by MP Gail Shea
“I want to begin by welcoming our friends and partners from Prince Edward Island and I’m pleased to be joined by the Honourable Doug Currie, Minister of Health and Minister of Social Services and Seniors for PEI.
“One of Prince Edward Island’s most valuable qualities is a strong sense of community spirit, and the optimism that comes from knowing that people are there for one another. Everyone is made to feel that they belong and everyone feels they have something to give.”
“And projects like this one — Charlottetown’s Park Royal Court — go a long way in helping seniors to remain active in their communities, close to family and friends. This project is a fine example of PEI’s solid track record of providing a safe and affordable place to call home.”
“We also know it’s important for seniors on fixed incomes to live with independence and dignity and remain in their communities. We know that people living with disabilities often have difficulty finding housing that meets their specific needs. That’s why a total of $475 million is being invested across the country in new housing for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities.”
A Relative
So many people spouting off here know NOTHING of Elizabeth’s tragic life and circumstances. She WAS disabled and she WAS living beneath the poverty line. Her immediate family abandoned and shunned her out of ignorance; she was truly ill and desperately needed help. Do NOT judge what you know nothing about.
Chris
Stevie…I see your press release about the place being built for 55+. Just curious than how was the lady able to be living there before she was 55? I believe it said in the news she was 60 but had lived there for 11 years.
We have countless programs to help poor people who either can’t or don;t want to work to make sure they have a roof and and food on the table.
The fact that this women was cut off from her family is between themselves but we should not as taxpayers have to pay for it and offer her special care or make up for the fact she and her family can not get along.
The whole issue was tragic but the blame rests squarely with the lady and her family and not the taxpayers who were already giving enough to this women.
Stephen Pate
The building was built for seniors or those 55 years and older with a disability. Elizabeth Berrigan had a disability which is how she qualified for residence before becoming a senior.
Poverty wasn’t her biggest problem – disability due to mental illness was. The Province, like most of Canada, has inadequate programs to help people with disabilities.
If you get cancer, heart disease, diabetes or some other disabling condition Chris – and God forbid that would happen – is it your families responsibility to look after you? Some people believe it is a family matter. Some people, myself included, believe the government has a responsibility. The Province knew about Berrigan’s disability and condition – they had to know to approve her for residence. They chose to ignore it but they do all the time for people with both mental and physical disabilities.
Thanks for all your comments. We appreciate them.
Marlene Boudreau
Very sad to hear this. Any family member couldn’t look in on her from time to time. I’ve been in the field for 21 years and this is what I do and enjoy every minute of it. They are your best company at times, with all the wonderful story they love to talk about and feel like they still have someone out there that still cares for Seniors. Very sorry to hear that and of course have to died by yourself with no one around to care is very sad. I am looking for private duty at their home in Mississauga Ont. Would love to have be able to help someone in need.