Letter to the editor

I wish to convey with utmost urgency my dismay with our provinces leader. What has happened in many long-term care homes across the country is a crisis that has indeed been years in the making. But it is the current-day government that had the urgent opportunity to protect our elderly; and they must not make the same mistakes again. I am a retired Registered Emergency Nurse. I came out of my retirement to answer the call for help. Despite not having any knowledge of Long-term care nursing, I chose to offer my services in one of our provinces hard-hit facilities. What I saw has traumatized me for life. What I know is I am no longer proud to say I have worked in our Country’s healthcare system. Almost three decades of providing a gold-standard level of care in two amazing hospitals had moulded me into the Registered Nurse that I am. I was always proud of my country, always proud of our province and it’s healthcare system. You have seen all the media clips. We have read all the first-hand accounts. I do not need to rehash any of it. But I do need to tell you I was there as COVID entered, and I was there before COVID entered. We were were dismayingly unprepared, in so many ways. I was in a “for profit” institution. Money wasn’t the issue, so why wasn’t our government mandating preparedness? I am not a religious person. But I pray with all my heart, that we do not, again, fail this many of our citizens. These were our parents, our lawyers, our teachers and the people who made our country before us. These are now the fallen. Those who were spared are begging for you to bring reform to the care of our elderly.

Sincerely, Cathy Legere, Uxbridge