PCs Effectively Invest In Higher Abuse Rates For Seniors

Mom (Margaret Macomber) and Esme. 

Abuse statistics compiled by Nova Scotia's Protection of Persons in Care division provide valuable lessons. One of the most important is the higher rates of abuse in larger, corporate chain nursing homes owned by Shannex and G.E.M.

Comparing all nursing homes with over 100 beds, you are approximately 65% more likely to be abused in a private, for profit nursing home than you are in a not for profit or publicly owned nursing home in Nova Scotia. Please see the end of the post for more detail.

Despite this greater risk in larger, for profit nursing homes, our government continues to support and grow this lucrative 'industry'. Nova Scotia has one of the highest percentages of for profit nursing homes in Canada, at 42%:

Ignoring the well documented risk to society's most vulnerable, Tim Houston's provincial Conservative party gave Shannex a multi million dollar contract, without any competitive bidding process, to provide a "transitional care facility for frail older people occupying hospital beds".

If the province isn't guided by their own safety data, and there are no consequences for the abuses (more on the fines, sanctions, licensing and criminal charges that aren't pursued in a future post) what is the purpose of tax payer investment in Protection of Persons in Care?

Lets Connect

If you have experience with abuse in nursing homes in Nova Scotia it would be great to hear from you, carol@fivefires.ca, subject line Abuse. I don't have answers but I believe the more of us there are connecting the more power we will have.

Data Sources and Detail

I used the Protection of Persons in Care abuse data (lower page links) and the Nova Scotia Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities Directory to compile the abuse information. Please email me at carol@fivefires.ca with subject line Blog if you see any mistakes. I'm happy to fix them.

Not for Profit and Publicly Owned Nursing Homes with Over 100 Beds:

Summary - 2727 total beds and 67 confirmed abuses from 2017/2018 to 2023/2024.

Private for Profit Nursing Homes with over 100 Beds:

Summary - 929 total beds and 35 confirmed abuses from 2017/2018 to 2023/2024.

Please email carol@fivefires.ca if you see any mistakes in the above, I'm happy to make corrections. 

Thank you for reading.