Like many Canadians, Jordan Kallman was touched by the story of the Victoria couple with dementia who were detained under the Mental Health Act.
Douglas and Pamela Allen, both 84, posted an emotional plea for help to YouTube. Court documents show they were both diagnosed with dementia and deemed incapable of caring for themselves. Their story inspired Jordan to speak out and share his own personal experience.
Jordan’s father, Ron Kallman, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 57 and his family paid for him to enter an assisted living facility. The family said that while Ron would forget the odd small thing, he could take care of himself.
“It’s a tragic disease and like most people’s experiences with it, it’s completely torn our family apart,” Jordan said.
Though the Kallman family said Ron was doing well, they received a phone call that changed things. Fraser Health Authority called late on a Friday afternoon alerting Jordan that his father had been moved.
“I got a voicemail saying that my dad had been moved and he had been moved to a special care needs unit facility in Burnaby,” he said.
The family was told that if they wanted more information they could call back on Monday. Kallman said his father was put in a facility suited for patients far beyond his needs.
“There is no specific facility, there is no special environment for people that have early onset Alzheimer’s and dementia,” Kallman said.
The Fraser Health Authority declined to comment on the specifics of this case, but said in general, patients are only moved on the advice of police or a physician.
Ron Kallman now lives in a hospital after months of being bounced around. His son is fighting to improve the lives of Canadians who are in the same situation.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Norma Reid
