To the editor:
For far too long, care for seniors in Ontario has been neglected. Under both Liberal and Conservative governments, improvements in care have not happened.
After reading many reports and newspaper articles on the numerous challenges facing the elderly, I have penned an open letter to Premier Ford outlining some immediate steps that need to be taken to bring back purpose and pleasure in the elderly’s last chapter of life.
I have been doing a lot of research on the topic and It is so relevant now. I read all the letters you publish and enjoy the diverse opinions.
Dear Premier Ford,
Your government does not seem to realize that home care is in crisis.
COVID 19 exposed the fact that previous governments as well as your government have not been kind to seniors. It was very shocking to read and hear about the horrific conditions in nursing homes, especially for-profit homes. It was even worse to read your government passed legislation to prevent these homes from being charged or fined. This law absolved them of all responsibility! Shame!
By increasing the funding for institutional care, especially for-profit nursing homes, you have not listened to seniors whose voices have been calling for more money for home care. Remember that most people like you and me will have to decide where to spend our last years of life. I hope we will have some wise choices!
As a recipient of home care for over one year, I can tell you how I appreciate being in my own home with some home care. Many seniors are denied this opportunity even though it is their first choice to remain in their own surroundings.
A recent survey of seniors indicated that over 90% of seniors would like to remain in their own homes if home care was better funded and more available. There is no doubt that funding home care instead of funding more institutional care like nursing homes have not been your government’s priority. Most people want that to change!
I realize nursing homes are necessary for people needing 24/7 daily care but your government has it all wrong. They should think first about keeping people in their own homes. However, they continue to build nursing homes that cost $200 per bed while home care is not only cheaper but also offers a better quality of life for the elderly in their senior years. Better funding for home care would also reduce waiting lists for any nursing home. Why are you continuing to fund for-profit homes?
Health care should always be public!
When for-profit nursing homes are able to return millions of dollars to their investors I believe that should never happen. How sad it is that even our pension plans are involved in these types of investments.
Shame!
The Ford government continues to follow the funding of for-profit nursing homes. The two new for-profit nursing homes being erected on the old hospital site in North Bay are for profit.
Ontario is maintaining the status quo by awarding the majority of long-term licenses to for-profit companies that had many more COVID deaths than their nonprofit or municipal counterparts. According to the Ontario Health Commission report overall, 16,304 out of a total of 30,436 long-term licenses for 30 years are to be awarded to for-profit providers. That is not reforming LTC nor is it keeping it public!
It is also time that explicit standards for nursing homes are written into the National Health Care Act and each province’s health transfer payments should be based on their compliance with the rules. Undoubtedly the federal transfer payments for health to the provinces are too low! That needs to change to ensure that changes to elder care can be made. I realize your government has no control over this issue. That is the federal Liberals’ responsibility to restore adequate healthcare transfers to the provinces.
They must stop being Scrooge!
There is also so much recent literature on the designs for nursing homes and methods to be used on patients to give them a better quality of life. Perhaps your government should study these new ideas! New nursing homes should reflect these changes. I hope Cassellholme, our municipal long-term care home, will incorporate these changes!
It might be noted that presently only 2.7 hours are allowed per patient’s care in nursing homes. Each worker during this time has to bathe a patient, dress a patient, get them to a dining room for a meal, etc. These activities are part of a robotic medical model which stresses only tasks to be done but gives no time for communication with the patient which would enhance their quality of life. Workers have been asking for four hours of care per patient for a very long time. Your proposed legislation "The Fixing Long Term Care Act 2021” specifies that the four hours of care are a “target”, not a “requirement” to be achieved by 2025. What a disappointment for our most vulnerable seniors!
In your news reports, you constantly mention many things the Ford government is promising like four hours per patient, more training of additional workers, better pay, etc. Some of these improvements have been announced and re-announced but are still inadequate. Unfortunately under your plan, the four hours of care per patient will not be realized until 2025.
Really?
How could any government wait until 2025 for changes to be implemented? These changes in care should happen now! Many of these seniors will be deceased by then! Nursing homes need these improvements NOW! Seniors have earned and deserve a better quality of life! Surely Ontario can do better! Your government MUST “build back better”!'
Treating the elderly with simple love and respect is long overdue!
Eunice Saari
North Bay
