No more room! Home for elderly maxed out-SFC
This information was confirmed while the Acting Manager of the Home, Mrs Jacqueline Donovan, was testifying last year before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee as they examined the draft estimates for the year 2015.
When asked by the subject Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton, on the number of residents and beds at the Adina Donovan Home, the Ag Manager told lawmakers that “there were 24 beds and 24 residents”.
In addition, Mrs Donovan made it clear that there were no “spare beds”.
The Member for the Third District, Honourable Julian Fraser RA, often referred to by pundits as the Premier in waiting, asked when the last resident had arrived, to which the Manager answered October 27, 2014.
Hon Fraser also inquired of the amount of persons on the waiting list. Mrs Donovan indicated that there were five (5) persons at the hospital and an additional two (2) persons outside of the hospital for a total of seven (7).
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development Mrs Petrona N. Davies, who’s Ministry the home falls under, was also at the hearing. She told the Committee she was in discussion with the BVI Health Services Authority on having a dependent care unit at the hospital for persons who are non-ambulatory.
NDP’s broken promises to our seniors
During the 2011 election campaign, the now ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) administration of Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith promised the elderly that they would construct a new home for them in Spooner’s Estate.
Once elected, they broke their promises to the elderly residents last year when Minister Skelton announced that the project would not happen because “government cannot do everything”.
“Because of economic conditions we have put it on a go slow because we can’t do everything; we don’t have the money to do it,” The Health and Social Development Minister declared last year on a National Democratic Party radio programme.
What remains an ironic contradiction and a tale of two cities is that Hon Skelton’s leader, Premier Smith, continues to claim that the economy is robust and things are booming.
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25 Responses to “No more room! Home for elderly maxed out-SFC”
Why she still acting? What wickedness is this? Appoint the woman to the post if she good enough to act for over a year!
The Government should seize their property and not giving it to those worthless children
My Question is. How can't all those successful child take care of one mother? Instead of putting her in a home.
I just cannot understand some children. (just Pay someone to take care of your parent at your home if you don't have the time). Give the Government a break and freeup some space in the Home for the Elderly.