Long-term care facilities in Prince Edward Island were not ready for the pandemic. Because of this, the quality of patient care deteriorated when COVID-19 arrived.

A group appointed by the provincial government came to these conclusions after talking to residents, workers, and managers of long-term care facilities, as well as families whose loved ones live in those facilities.

A long-awaited report into how Prince Edward Island handled the COVID-19 pandemic in its long-term care homes says that while the province’s response was reasonable, it was too severe in its impact on residents.

P.E.I.’s long-term care homes “were not sufficiently prepared for a pandemic” when the COVID-19 crisis began, leading to the quality of care for residents deteriorating, according to an external panel appointed by the provincial government.

The panel headed by mediator and retired lawyer Michele Dorsey reported on its work Thursday, after interviewing and surveying long-term care residents, operators, staff and unions as well as health administrators and Island families who had loved ones in the system.