The Saskatchewan NDP is raising alarms about the drugs administered to residents in long-term care after a disturbing incident has come to light.
The incident involves Jeff Nachtigall’s 86-year-old father, Helmut, who is a resident at Pioneer Village in Regina.
Nachtigall previously visited the Legislature in December to advocate for his father and others suffering after the Sask. Party removed minimum standards of care. Nachtigall said his father had been deliberately overmedicated and physically restrained at the time.
Nachtigall says he’s since noticed a chart at the facility that says 84.6 per cent of residents are being given antipsychotics without a diagnosis of psychosis. Copies of the images are attached to the news release.
“That’s an outrageous number and something the Sask. Party needs to answer for,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Seniors. “We want to know if this is happening everywhere — people deserve transparency.
“People put their trust and care of their elders in the hands of this government, and this is how they are rewarded. Seniors built this province, and they deserve dignity.”
Nachtigall said, “I’m not looking for luxurious things. I’m looking for the basics that just aren’t there. Our experience with long-term care and Alzheimer's and Dementia is we don’t have a lot of choices to where he could go, and those choices were substandard.”
Jorgenson asked the Sask. Party for data on the use of antipsychotics in long-term care but they have ducked and dodged his questions.
“Our senior care is in crisis because that Sask. Party government continues to fail our seniors,” Jorgenson said.
“Would the Minister think this kind of treatment was acceptable for her own family?”
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