Care homes

Numbers seem to be at the top of the priority list among the politicians and media these days.
Numbers of deaths here, numbers of cases there, percentages of victims from this area, how the UK numbers compare with other countries. The whole sorry debacle is beginning to resemble some macabre international lottery competition. As I write this, I have a half an eye on SKY news and, lo and behold, the announcer is giving out more numbers, namely the number of deaths in care homes. Well, of course, these particular sums truly are shocking. We are all terribly saddened by the number of elderly patients succumbing to this awful disease. But why are we so surprised at the high death toll among the most vulnerable in our society? After all is this not the whole point? It is a proven fact that those who live in care homes are far less likely to survive this awful virus than others who are younger and more healthy.

I have found myself in a quite a few care homes over the years and have been surprised (or not!) that the homes depicted on the media always seem to show highly efficient modern units, all computerized, with pristine environments and facilities, run by highly efficient and articulate staff.
‘The only reason for the high rate of deaths in these establishments’, spout many of those desperately striving to gain political points, ‘is the government’s failure to provide enough PPE equipment’. But it’s not the only reason, is it?

Having experienced the heartbreak of two beloved parents, who finally had to be moved to care homes, I can assure you that they are not all as wonderful as the media would like us to believe. There are thousands of these lucrative private care homes scattered throughout the country, and quite a number that I have experienced are a positive disgrace. While vainly searching for somewhere to place my dear dad and later my Mum, I was appalled by the conditions in a whole host of these places. Many of them stank of urine. I saw others that were grubby and badly run by completely incompetent staff. Not a few were run by immigrants, mainly from Pakistan, who, after taking advantage of government schemes to buy large houses, had brought all their relatives over to live in half of the house while the ‘residents’ lived in the other half, and were often tended by some of these relatives who had no qualifications whatsoever. The speed that this virus could have run rampant through these poorly run establishments doesn’t bear thinking about– PPE equipment or not.

No, I truly am fed up with the way the media tries to twist the news to suit their political leanings or merely to pick up ratings by the promotion of sensationalism. Ah well. Go safe everyone. This too will pass. Don’t forget to tune in to EXPATRADIO.UK Mon, Wed,  Fri, 1pm till 4.
Hopefully it will cheer some of you up.
Keep the faith.

Written by

Leapy Lee

Like Marmite, you either love Leapy or hate him. His controversial views and long-standing column make him one of the Euro Weekly News´ most-read columnists.

Comments


    • The UK TeddyBoy

      23 May 2020 • 17:12

      Agree Lee … With us both coming from same Town…. We need many Care ; Rest & Nursing Homes.. Who charge anything up to £1,100 a week !!! Unfortunately in England if you have an house or savings until you are down to £16,000 : You have to Pay your own way….. YET Scotland you do NOT … Why we are both in UK…. However money aside… UK seems to be obsessed with not looking after their Elderly Parents… When if living in UK they could. Yet other European Countries they seem to live at their Sons or Daughters. My Mom paid £1,000 a week to stay in an American styled Retirement home where she had her own Self Contained Bedsit & Communal Restaurant. But I have Daughters & Relations who work in Care Homes.. & They have left some as the Condition of these Places… They are beyond belief…. Animal Rights make sure Animals are better Looked after.. NO ONE has set up Elderly Rights.. I for sure would never put My Wife in One no matter what I had to put up With & I am sure she would do the same for me.. Because there is no point. You may as well be Dead !! Today in Paper a Hospital sent a 96 year old with Virus symptoms back to his care home. BEFORE his Test came back. When it did he was Positive… BUT so we 20 more now at his Care Home… As you say many unqualified Foreigners run them & they ill treat the Residents.. Always a Case in Papers. So it is obvious that in Our town of 100,000 up to May 16th. 46 Deaths. Inflated as One poor person died in Hospice & he is on COVID List & Local paper state of the 46 only 2 died in Hospital.. 20 Rest Home people died in 23 Care Homes.. HOW ?? Figures are Rigged. But does not mean that the Elderly are for Sure the most Vulnerable. As they are Every Year from whatever Flu comes along… Cheer O/M/C

    Comments are closed.