The newly-formed advocacy group for residents in extended care facilities is asking Yukoners to come forward with stories about treatment they've received in the territory.

About 15 people attended the group's first meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Yukon Association for Community Living offices.

The advocacy group was formed last month following the alleged sexual assault of a woman with Down syndrome at Copper Ridge Place by another resident.

The meeting was led by the woman's sister, who the Star is not identifying because of the nature of the crime.

Since those original allegations came to light, other families have come forward with stories of loved ones being assaulted by residents at the facilities.

The new group wants to gather as many stories as possible from staff, residents and family members, so that it can present more complete data at its next meeting and eventually come up with recommendations to improve the current system.

"We want to encourage more people to come forward,” the moderator said. "I think it's important to hear from as many people as possible to make sure we have a complete picture.”

An e-mail address, yukoncare@hotmail.ca, has been set up to receive stories and suggestions.

The group is encouraging Yukoners to include a name and contact number with their e-mails and avoid anonymous stories.

"I can't think of a scenario where we wouldn't want to hear what Yukoners have to say, if the group is willing to share with us what they gather,” Marcelle Dubé, the acting Department of Health and Social Services spokesperson, said this morning.

Betty Lindsey, whose mother fell and broke her hip at Macaulay Lodge in 2007, said she was nervous to come forward with her concerns when the fall first happened.

"I think the majority of people feel the way we did, which was that if we said a lot and pushed it, they could have taken things out on Mom, and that's really quite a worry,” she said.

Years later, Lindsey said, she is still skeptical about what staff told her happened to her 87-year-old mother, who was nearly blind due to macular degeneration.

Lindsey said she was called one morning and was told her mother had fallen at around 9 a.m. while staff was "getting her ready for bed.”

She said yesterday she's convinced her mother had actually fallen the night before, not in the morning.

"Why would they be getting her ready for bed at nine o'clock in the morning?” she asked. "It's breakfast time. She never ate breakfast in bed. I thought it was a suspicious story.

"If I could have afforded it, I would have gotten a lawyer and really pursued it. But you've got to have money to support that.”

Many possible recommendations were brainstormed at the meeting.

These included suggesting cameras for the hallways to keep an eye on residents and staff, sending people to observe staff without their knowledge, possible legislation as well as shortening staff members' shift lengths to avoid burnout.

"A lot of these caregivers, they go home and they have little children to care for. It's not like they can just go home and put their feet up and get a nice long sleep,” said Lindsey's sister, Jeanie Byers.

"Twelve hours is just too long. Especially when you're looking after people who really can't care for themselves.”

Both the sisters agree they that had both positive and negative experiences with staff.

Meanwhile, NDP MLA Kevin Barr, who met with the family of the alleged sexual assault victim as well as Heath and Social Services Minister Doug Graham, has sent a letter to the minister asking for clarification regarding policies at extended care facilities.

Barr wants the minister to clarify what is being done to address concerns raised by family members.

"I am interested particularly in what will be done to address security concerns and criticisms of understaffing,” said the letter, dated Nov. 25.

"Do you intend to bring forward legislation or regulations?”

The legislature reconvened at 3:00 this afternoon.

The advocacy group's next meeting is expected to be sometime in the new year.