Death should not be in vain

“David has paid a high price.”
   That’s part of the statement issued by the family members of a 35-year-old disabled man who died after being bathed in scalding water at a Calgary care facility on Oct. 23, 2011. The man, identified only as “David,” was non-verbal with a severe form of epilepsy. His bath resulted in burns to 20 per cent of his body.
David underwent four plastic surgeries and a bowel operation. David died five weeks later after the incident.
On Jan. 30, the provincial investigation of the man’s death was released. It found that the care worker didn’t adequately keep the man safe.
Seniors Minister George VanderBurg said in a Canadian Press news story that he has ordered temperature regulators to be installed at facilities that deal with people with developmental disabilities.
Staff will also have to follow improved safety procedures when bathing disabled people.
He says the government will step up inspections of private group homes that have less than four disabled residents.
The government also says it will also do more to ensure people who operate such homes understand and follow the rules.
It’s been reported the temperature control regulators will be installed at about 1,000 facilities and homes at a cost of $1.5 million. That’s a small price to pay when it comes to the safety of Alberta’s disabled and most helpless citizens.
It’s unfortunate, though, that it took a death for the province to look at boosting its safety rules.
“If his death results in improvements in the safety and dignity of care for Albertans with disabilities, and indeed others who are also in care (such as seniors and children), we can all derive some comfort from knowing that David’s life and death had meaning and purpose beyond the happiness he gave to his family and friends,” his family said in a statement.
Dr. Alex Hilliyard, CEO of Persons with Developmental Disabilities, echoed those sentiments in a Canadian Press article.
“We must do everything we can to ensure a tragedy like this does not happen again here in Calgary or anywhere else in the province,” he said.
It is important that David’s death not be in vain. As the family looks ahead at the changes being made to the system that stole David’s life as a positive in a horrific situation, we have to remember that these organizations are entrusted to care for those who can not care for themselves. And these people deserve far better care than David received.

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