THE number of Covid-19 deaths in Scotland’s care homes has been labelled a national scandal. In all media outlets, rival political parties are seeking political advantage by attributing responsibility for the rise in deaths to the unwise decisions by their rivals.
Among the many opinions already aired, and the repeated calls for a public inquiry, seldom if ever do we hear a care home resident’s response. By a mix of luck, specific DNA and attempting not to impair my immunity by over-medicating, I have thus far avoided residing in state or private care. However, being the widow of a Parkinson's and Lewy Dementia sufferer, and having a date of birth in 1928, and also having many friends who have lived and died in care – both pre and post the pandemic, I can justifiably claim to speak as one of the “vulnerable elderly”.
Within that limiting description lie as many differences as with any other sector of the public. Care home residents are all unique, though diminished by the huge variety of reasons causing them to live in care. Many would name fear of advancing Alzheimer's overtaking them, with their guilt-ridden relatives feeling no longer able to cope. None I have met cited their political preference as being the explanation.
Concerned people of all ages, within or without care homes, see lack of speedy research into dementia, compared with the swift resolution to HIV, as an actual national scandal.
To conclude, and condense, this letter within the necessary limit upon words will not be easy. Perhaps I can be most succinct by ending with these final sentences:
1. Care home residents are far from a homogeneous collective, unable to understand pandemic outcomes – as they often can be made out to be.
2. Many, if free to choose, would choose to have a quick dose of Covid-19 over a lingering cancerous tumour or prolonged Parkinsons.
3. Of course, many others would not so choose – and Alzheimer's-suffering residents are incapable of making such a choice.
4. A large number of care home residents will have subscribed to the – not yet legal – aims of Dignity in Dying.
5. Many will have worries about the horrendous high cost of care.
6. Most would see no entitlement by anyone to seek political capital or to attribute blame for the rising total of deaths in care homes, even when the addition of the worldwide contagious virus appears alongside the underlying health condition listed on the death certificate.
7. Most, though grateful for concern towards them, would want maximum effort given to protecting the younger generation.
Margaret Little, Rhu, by Helensburgh.
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