'No right to play God': Seniors coalition says health cuts cause deep anxiety
Group challenges government to audit health authorities
A coalition of seniors is speaking out against cuts to health care that it says will have a devastating affect on seniors and pensioners.
Members of a ad-hoc group called the Coalition of Pensioners, Retirees and Seniors Organizations say cuts to long-term care facilities announced Monday are causing deep anxiety among seniors – especially those who are being told they will have to move.
"I wonder who gives those people — whether its the CEO of Eastern Health, the Minister of Finance, or the Premier of this province — the right to play God and tell them where they are going to live for the rest of their days?" said Ralph Morrris, a coalition spokesperson.
"To me they shouldn't have that power and they should be ashamed of what they are doing."
The seniors and pensioners say health care was already broken and underfunded before the cuts. They say the message from health authorities Monday underscores those concerns.
"They are taking about minimal numbers of layoffs in those healthcare institutions. Are the healthcare institutions so understaffed that they can close facilities and nobody loses their jobs?" asked Morris.
"If they find places to employ those people, then how grossly understaffed were the other facilities out there to begin with?"
Morris said pensioners and seniors are calling for an independent assessment of the system and believe it would find a lot of waste and inefficiency.
"Because what front line workers are telling us is certainly not what we are hearing from the administrative levels," he said.
Morris said the pensioners' association is starting a cross-province tour to hold meetings with seniors.
The first meeting is scheduled for Stephenville on May 1.
The seniors are also meeting with members of the provincial and federal governments in late April. They want to make sure the next part of the budget process in the fall doesn't leave seniors in this province with even fewer services.