Letter to the Editor
Editor,
For last few weeks the news of the conditions in nursing homes all over the country has horrified, not only those who have loved ones in these places, but all of us. This seems to be a good time to acknowledge how lucky we are in Meaford to have a safe, well-run institution to take care of those who need it.
For the past ten years as a volunteer I have taken books from Meaford Public Library biweekly to those residents who enjoy reading; my fellow volunteer and I always found a clean environment, with our clients dressed in appropriate clothing seeming for the most part quite comfortable and content.
Of course there were some who mourned the loss of abilities and life as they had lived it, but with caring staff who do their best to keep spirits up, conditions in the home are good. As admirable good management is, it is the workers on the floor who give the human touch that makes life more tolerable for the residents; these workers not only provide the basics to them but who talk to them as they would their friends and relatives bringing the world they knew outside those four walls to them, reminding them they are still members of a community.
It is to the credit of the owners and managers of the facility that we have (so far) done well during this dangerous time, but most of said credit belongs to staff who go the extra mile regardless of not being paid what they are worth. Hopefully that will change in the near future.
Maria McKay, Meaford
