« Répondre à la vulnérabilité » : l’éthique et les CHSLD au temps de la COVID-19()

The intrusion of the COVID-19 in Quebec witnesses the failure of seniors’ residences to adequately protect their residents. The long-standing carelessness of an entire society towards frail elderly people has become clear. The text is divided into two parts. The first part shows that as much as the Quebec hospital, under the direction of the Ministry of Health, was ready to deal with the pandemic, as long-term centres for people with loss of autonomy were not. The second part discusses the type of ethics that guided officials in their decisions. This type of ethics does not seem to me to be consistent with the ethical vision that would be appropriate in long-term care. Ethics should be one that corresponds to the nature of these centres, it should be a response to vulnerability. The conclusion calls for citizen dialogue to arrive at an appropriate response to the situation of these people.