Irish Examiner view: Why are we indifferent  to the weak?

Abuses, for that is what they are, cannot continue in a society that presents itself as humane, advanced, and caring

The overwhelming theme of the chaplain's annual reports in the state’s 12 prisons is the futility, abuse, and extent of neglect in repeatedly incarcerating in prisons persons who should be receiving treatment in an appropriate setting for mental illness. File Picture: Collins

Last week, the Irish Examiner’s Neil Michael detailed how some nursing homes were overwhelmed by the pandemic.

He detailed harrowing stories of loved ones lost to families, many forced to die alone without even the comfort nursing staff might offer. He told of how Ballynoe Nursing Home, with 51 beds, recorded 21 Covid deaths. That home is not unique. The pandemic, for myriad reasons, took a heavy toll in these settings. How many of those deaths might have been averted had better staffing levels and procedures been in place remains an open question — as is the validity of the
for-profit model of long-term care for old people.