Our elderly are being forgotten during the COVID-19 pandemic

I know that Dr. Bonnie Henry is doing her best to keep COVID-19 numbers down, but she has not paid attention to the human catastrophes. These involve aged people in homes allowed only a 30-minute visit a month by one designated person.

Think about it. One half-hour visit a month. There is nothing happening in these homes, no entertainment, no talking library books, no library, no outside food, no visitors except the one visit per month.

In the specific case I am thinking about, the daughter drives five hours every month to visit her 100-year-old mother for half an hour. Her brother is not allowed the same privilege. Both he and his mother are afraid she will die without a visit. The long-term care home is so afraid of breaking the rules it verges on the ridiculous.

Her 101st birthday is in November and they are not allowed to take even a cupcake in.

Christmas? Sorry, we don't have the staff to deal with it. And over the holiday season, even though the brother is in town, he is not the designated visitor, so sorry. Either the sister has to leave her family and grandchildren to drive five hours to get some time on Dec. 23 or 24 or the poor lady sees no one.

It is criminal and Third World inhumane. Something must be done. It is cruel to leave these old people alone. The facilities are so understaffed that the residents are not getting proper care, but I will avoid dwelling on that this time. Sandy Johnston, Vancouver