A voluntary group which came to the fore in advocating for the rights of vulnerable individuals and their families receiving care in the Covid crisis have announced that they will hold an independent inquiry looking into the experiences of some of those most impacted by the handling of the pandemic.
“We are announcing a groundbreaking initiative: The People’s COVID Inquiry,” Care Champions said in a statement. “This independent review aims to examine the policies and practices by which care facilities in Ireland operate.”
They said the initiative was “fuelled by concerns about the government’s planned, but yet not in place, evaluation of the experiences and handling of Covid, referring to the government’s planned inquiry”, the details of which have not yet been published after repeated delay.
Care Champions said that the ‘People’s COVID Inquiry’ would hear from “a diverse range of experiences that include human rights experts, legal professionals and academics assembled to conduct this inquiry.”
“Representing the rights of vulnerable people in society, their families, and especially older people and those with disabilities, the Independent Peoples COVID inquiry will follow best methodological and reporting practice in collecting testimonials from survivors and the families of those who died or were affected in harrowing circumstances, as well as their subsequent experiences with officialdom in their search for answers,” the advocacy group said.
The said the independent inquiry would “drive a social media campaign to inform the public and recruit grass-roots support from citizens nationwide” – and that the campaign would be available on Care Champions social media channels “to communicate why an inquiry is essential, give voice to those who suffered and died, highlight ongoing issues, and present the need for urgent reforms”.
“In contrast, the planned Government ‘evaluation,’ will feature a large element of private investigation – behind closed doors – with limited public hearings,” Care Champions said. “Surviving residents, impacted family members, healthcare staff, healthcare experts and other key stakeholders are asked to contact Care Champions to participate.”
“On August 31st surviving residents, bereaved families, those impacted by Covid 19 and current relatives of those living in care facilities will launch this initiative by sharing their experience
consistently throughout the day in person and shared on social media,” they said.
Care Champions also said that in recognition and in memory of those who have died since 2020, a very special unveiling of a memory wall would take place in the Arlington Hotel at 2.30pm. “All are welcome and families can add the name of their loved one to the wall on the day”
Last year, a Care Champions event gave families an opportunity to share what were described as “heart-breaking” memories of vulnerable and elderly people dying afraid and alone because of what the group describes as “excessive” restrictions.
The group’s founder Majella Beatty sais at the time that a Covid inquiry would examine why nursing homes and care centres refused to let any family member access their loved ones despite evidence from other jurisdictions that the blanket ban was hurting the most vulnerable, and causing real trauma to families.
She pointed to the decision by the Dutch government to allow visits – and to the Care Partner system in Northern Ireland which ensured each person in a nursing home or a care setting had a nominated person who would always be allowed in for a visit, with testing and PPE requirements, even during a pandemic.
At that time, former NPHET member, Prof Martin Cormican said that preventing visits from family to those who were dying was “inhumane”.
Amongst those who spoke around that time were Elizabeth Mansfield’s family who say she died of a broken heart, denied family visits although she was on a non-Covid ward.
Her daughter Fidelma says that she “still lives with the heartbreak” of not being allowed to visit her mother where she was distressed and upset, and where she died without her family. Fidelma says that a system using PPE could have facilitated a designated visitor from the family.
1) Remembering Elizabeth Mansfield
— Care Champions Ireland (@CareChampions2) March 6, 2023
We didn't know what was facing us in April 20. No visitors to a non-covid ward in hospital, after 3 weeks alone, she died with no family on her 90th birthday. I believe she died of a broken heart. All she wanted was to be with her family. pic.twitter.com/7CkgbVc1fK
Majella Beatty told Cork Today that it was very difficult for families to get closure and to grieve properly because many felt that their loved ones thought they had been abandoned.
"The last time I saw my mother alive, I spoke to her at the end of April. She was dead 5 days later. Her last conversation with me was, "Do yous not love me anymore?" I wouldn't wish it on anyone. No funeral, buried with only 10 of us at her graveside" 💔 😢
— Care Champions Ireland (@CareChampions2) March 6, 2023
@CarePartner
She said that families were “tormented” by watching the deterioration of parents and loved ones through the window week and week, and watching their distress at not being able to touch and hold their family members.
"The day before my mother died, she left a voicemail shouting my name over and over." This is something that haunts me, I so wanted to go to her, but I was locked out.
— Care Champions Ireland (@CareChampions2) March 6, 2023
At the Care Champions conference, Christine Brohan, from Farranree in Cork, said that she has watched her mother Kathleen alone through the window of a nursing home in February 2021.
“He pulled the curtains back and my mom was there, dying on her own,” she said. “For over two hours, we stood outside that window in a storm watching her, I was actually clawing at the window telling her I loved her”.
“I relive it every single day.”