The case of an elderly couple being held against their will at a Vancouver Island hospital is raising tough questions about seniors’ rights.
High-profile politicians were sounding off Friday over the case of Douglas and Pamela Allen, both 84, who posted their emotional plea for help to YouTube.
In it, Douglas can be seen strapped down to his hospital bed at Victoria General Hospital by a restraining vest.
“A hospital is not a good long-term placement for seniors, regardless of how much care they need,” said NDP MLA Carole James. “The fact that they’ve been in there since January, that they haven’t been able to find a placement that works for the challenges that they have, I think, is really tragic, and it shows the real difficulties we have.”
The couple said the ordeal began Jan. 5 when they went to Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital for a routine visit.
“Somebody whisked us up to the fourth floor and locked us in there and we couldn’t get out,” Pamela said in the YouTube video. “We had nothing wrong with us physically.”
The couple were detained under the Mental Health Act. Court documents show they were both diagnosed with dementia and deemed incapable of caring for themselves.
“I believe the health professionals are really doing the best they can in difficult circumstances,” premier Christy Clark said Friday. “Doctors, nurses, social workers; they all do their best to make sure that they are protecting the health of people across our province. I’m sure that’s what they are doing in this case.”
B.C.’s new seniors’ advocate said she wonders if there needs to be a better way of handling elderly people who have been certified mentally unfit to take care of themselves.
“To be fair to the system, it’s defaulting to a situation where it believes, rightly or wrongly, the Allens are not able to care for themselves,” said Isobel Mackenzie. “Not only is there no easy answer, there’s no answer that’s going to satisfy everybody.”
The couple said they plan on taking their fight for freedom to B.C. Supreme Court, but the Vancouver Island Health Authority has so far refused to back down from its decision to hold them.
