Dear Editor,
Today marks 36 days since our brother, Brent Beaton, a 60 year old non-verbal man with Down syndrome, was admitted to Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital. He was supposed to be discharged the day after being admitted on December 22nd , notably three days before Christmas. Brent was never discharged. Instead, he has been neglected and abandoned by his home of over 20 years – Koster Huis in Mabou, a small options home. The manager refused to have him return home citing “safety reasons” that were never identified. What was identified, however, was that there was no underlying medical condition requiring hospitalization. Could this be a case of “hospital dumping?” No policy or procedure was provided to justify Brent’s removal from his home. The Department of Opportunities and Social Development (DOSD) determined that Brent continued to meet the criteria for accommodation in the small option home. The County of Inverness Municipal Housing Corporation (CIMHC), who govern the home, decided otherwise. It appears that the CIMHC and the DOSD have no regard for human rights or disability rights. Instead, they act contrary to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Remedy, a five-year, legally binding agreement that guides the Nova Scotia’s government’s work to transform the disability support system in Nova Scotia.
Brent is essentially homeless – a stark contrast to what the Human Rights Remedy promotes. The system cannot create a crisis and then use it to justify permanent displacement. Where is the accountability?
Harvey Beaton – Bedford
Darrell Beaton – Fall River
Richard Beaton – Port Hastings