Seniors' deaths a shared tragedy Re: Nearly 600 people died due to record-setting B.C. heat wave this summer

Close to 600 elderly people died in B.C. this past summer because of the heat wave. Why? Who were these people? Were they living alone? Were they in care facilities? Did anyone check in on them? Did they die over a period of days because nobody bothered to see if they had enough water, food, fans, or perhaps needed a sponge bath? Did they try to reach out for help but were too weak to do so?

The media did report the tragedy, but quite frankly it almost felt that it was a report about 600 cars that were wrecked in a rainstorm because of potholes in the roads that needed repairs, and a commission would be set up to ensure it didn't happen again.

But these 600 people were not cars, they were seniors who should have been cared for, and we dropped the ball. Should we call this tragedy elder abuse? Will we have programs in place so this never happens again? Let us not forget, we should be our brother's keeper.

Eileen Abrams, Vancouver