In the light of what we are beginning to hear about the nursing home in Leitrim, the following paragraphs are worth quoting.

Regulation was frowned upon. We all know about banking regulation going south but services to disabled people were also allowed to ‘live long and prosper’ without any need to think about quality or legal issues.

It was only when stories like Lees Cross exploded that we saw there may be problems. But then the news cycle moved on and we forget.

We forget phrases like Residential Care actually means a building that some disabled people call HOME. 

Homes are warm, safe places aren’t they? You would think so but talk to some adults with learning disabilities and home becomes something less than pleasant.

Do adults really have their personal mail opened? Do adults really need to be put into dressing gowns after tea at 5pm? These things happened and are happening still.

To the list above we can now add ‘People had Do Not Resuscitate’ notices added to their files without their knowing.

How could this happen? Well, it’s very simple. During our madness, nursing homes rivalled the apartment in Bulgaria as a handy little investment.

We lost the idea that people were going to see these places as homes where they would be cared for and respected as people.

It’s very simple. Care for people. Then we’ll be fine.