In April of 2015, Peter Bowden blew the whistle on elder abuse. What followed was a two-year nightmare of personal attacks, career ruin, and the illegal disclosure by his employer, the Saskatoon Health region authority and Sask. Health of his private and confidential information. The government saw fit to become involved in what was a private matter between employee and employer. What followed was a government mired in controversy. Their sole purpose was to ruin the reputation of a compassionate care aide. Invited by Saskatchewan's Official Opposition Party, he made his way to the Legislature to share his experiences of elder care with the government. He was concerned by the caregiver to patient ratios, stating that, some nights, he was alone with thirty-four residents. Numerous times in his career, he witnessed the abuse of many residents, most of whom were completely dependent on the care they received. With no universal standard of care, private Long-Term Care Facilities demonstrated an appalling lack of consideration for their residents. As part of a failing system that could not attend to the needs of their clientele, Peter stated that all employees were, by definition, part of the abuse. What followed was a sudden and unexpected attack on his character. Within days of his visit to the Legislature, a dozen formal complaints about his work surfaced, including some criminal allegations. His employer placed him under investigation as coworkers, initially supportive, turned their backs on him. Victimised, Peter began the difficult road to justice. This book chronicles both the cases of abuse Peter witnessed as well as the investigation itself. It provides a rare look into the reality of care homes, places peopled mostly by those unable to express for themselves the lives they lead. We are all aging; many of us will come to depend on the care of others. The systems put in place now are already failing, and the government is doing very little to prepare for the future of Long-Term health care. This book aims to educate, to warn, and to encourage action for the defence of our elders. They are worthy of respec
For the previous 30 years, Mr Bowden has been involved in healthcare. With his Emergency Medical Technician training, he was able to produce an advanced first aid programme for the Saskatchewan division of the Canadian Red Cross. He also taught the one hundred hour programme to such diverse clients as rural volunteer medical responders, many security officers and primary responders at a heavy oil upgrader. His personal skills continued to be honed while working as a primary responder in a large chemical plant and at a fibre optic factory. He was a member of the rapid response team and had training in sleep deprivation of the shift worker. But it was in his later years that he turned to long-term care and the welfare of dementia residents. It is here he became a strong advocate for the elderly and especially those with dementia. As an Eden associate, he was able to understand the new philosophy of resident-centered care. It was this philosophy that drew the ire of many in long-term healthcare for it was a major departure from institutionalised health-care. Once again he was chastised by colleagues for his evident acceptance of a new philosophy, something he would encounter again and which would directly lead to his involvement with the care and welfare of residents who cannot speak for themselves. His advocacy for the abused elderly person is ongoing.
