To the editor:

As a nursing home resident, I’ve got special interest in deaths related to neglect/abuse in same.

Recent interest turned full-blown anger: one senior died frozen when staff didn’t heed alarmed door, middle of the night.

Different facility – resident suffocated due to staff’s failure to provide oxygen as doctor ordered. List goes on. Can’t even imagine deaths of those kinds – of any kind.

These situations/facilities are fined? As big businesses, cutting a check is no problem, More so, criminal charges are in order, even involuntary manslaughter or elder abuse. There are advocates, but not enough being done. Every day a new writeup, different death/injury. Consider: we’re folks who’ve served our country, raised families, paid taxes, contributed to a society in which we live. We deserve safe, humane treatment.

Thank you for your attention and action to these needs. We could be your mom, loved one.

Karen Hanson

Emmetsburg