© Shane Fowler/CBCJennifer Eagan, owner and operator of Victoria Villa Special Care Home in Perth-Andover, N.B., says she has received death threats after Herbert Goodine and his wife, Audrey Goodine, were separated after an assessment deemed he needed more care and a Facebook post about their plight went viral.
Herbert Goodine, 91, was removed Monday from the Victoria Villa Special Care Home in Perth-Andover, N.B. where he has lived with Audrey Goodine, 89, his wife of 69 years. They had only a few days notice of the required move after an assessment deemed his dementia needed more care than the location could provide.
Jennifer Eagan, an owner of the home, said Friday things have been difficult for her, her family, and the residents at the special-care home since the post went viral earlier this week.
"It really has been horrifying how people have jumped on this bandwagon to crucify me," she said.
Eagan said she and her mother, a senior herself and Eagan's business partner, have received hundreds of emails and calls containing nasty messages. They came from all over the world.
"We've had death threats. We've had people saying that they wished that we had a horrible Christmas, that they hoped someday we'd go through this with our family. It's been very difficult," she said. "Anything you could possibly imagine, people have said."
Two sides
The owner said she understands people are upset about what happened, but there are two sides to every story.
"They are reacting on a purely emotional basis, and I understand that," she said. "I just think there's a better way to tell someone you're unhappy with them, rather than threaten their life."
© Shane Fowler/CBCHerbert Goodine lived at Victoria Villa Special Care Home in Perth-Andover, N.B., shown above, before he was moved to another home for health reasons.
"I've been hesitant to bring the police into it because I don't know what they could possibly do," she said.
Eagan said it's been disappointing and upsetting to read and hear the messages about a situation they had no control over.
"We take good care of our residents. We go above and beyond every day, and it's really hurtful for someone to say we're abusing seniors," she said.
Post not meant to criticize Villa
Herbert Goodine's daughter, Dianne Phillips, said Friday it was never her intention for the Victoria Villa to take the criticism they've had to take.
Phillips' wrote on Facebook Dec. 17 about her father's required move. The post soon went viral.
© Shane Fowler/CBCDianne Phillips, the daughter of Herbert Goodine, said she did not intend for the owners of Victoria Villa to be criticized over her father's short-notice move.
Herbert Goodine is now at the Tobique Valley Manor in Plaster Rock, a 30-minute drive from his wife.
Phillips said her father will stay there for the next 30 days until the family can find a new and permanent living arrangement for both her parents. They will be spending Christmas with her in Fredericton, N.B.
Eagan said she wished people would realize there are two sides to every story.
"Most people must realize that," Eagan said. "Nobody ever wants to have to make this decision."
More collaboration needed
Judy Lane, CEO at Kings Way Care Centre, a long-term care facility in southern New Brunswick, said situations like this are challenging for all involved, but more collaboration between organizations could help.
"We unfortunately operate in a continuum of care that's siloed," she said, and it's difficult to navigate through the different options, which include home care, special care homes and nursing homes.
Lane said more collaboration and education for families could produce better outcomes.
"Usually a family is only presented with a situation when generally there is a crisis and then they have to react, and it creates a lot of stress," she said.
Lane said she is hopeful the province will begin looking at ways all levels of care can work together.
"Our seniors deserve the utmost respect and care and we need to remember that they are the people that our focus should be on," she said. "It shouldn't just be focused on the process and rules, it should be about the person and what's important to them."
Reader Comments
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