Vets' care shameful
Close watch needed
We expect our veterans to be treated with honor, with respect, with the dignity that we all know they deserve. Their age ought not to matter, though for some of us the wars of long ago are fading memories of the days when Nazis and Communists in far away countries threatened world peace and our courageous soldiers were the ones who made the difference.
We profess that we are eternally grateful for their service, for their heroism, and deep inside we all know that we owe them more than we probably ever will be able to give.
Which is why the findings of an inspection team that spent five days in July in the Arizona State Veteran Home are so terribly hard to accept. Inspectors from the state Department of Health Services have unearthed a world of indifference toward these aging vets, cases of incredible neglect if not outright abuse.
This is a deplorable injustice, a shameful way for we, as a society, to say thanks.
The inspectors found that 43 of the home's 196 residents had been unnecessarily restrained by straps and vests while in their wheelchairs or beds, sometimes against doctors' orders. There were instances where the vets went hungry because staff members failed to assist them. In one case, an inspector intervened when a vet who required pureed food was fed a meat sandwich, crackers and pie.
There were other inhumanities, more subtle but every bit as damaging to the soul. Inspectors found that staff members neglected to strike up conversations, and were lax in helping them get comfortable and to dress. Staff members also routinely ignored doctors' orders to walk the residents regularly.
If staff members are unable or unwilling to show the proper respect and quality care, they are free to leave and find other employment.
The administrator of the home, Mae Giesner, has submitted a plan to bring the state-run facility into compliance and to correct deficiencies. She says the veterans "served us, and now it is our time to serve them."
Let us hope that her words translate into action, and DHS inspectors will be ready to ensure that they do.