Province Urged To “Dignify” LTC Residents

A call from CUPE for the Liberal Government to hold up their end of a promise they made back in 2003.

With more than 85,000 Ontario residents living in long-term care facilities, the Ontario Council of Hospitals Union of CUPE is urging for a minimum standard of care.

President Michael Hurley tells 570 News they are advocating for 3.5 hours of direct care per day. “The provincial government needs to enact a minimum standard of direct hands-on care of 3.5 hours per day, per resident in each and every long-term care. Until the province increases care time by introducing legislated standards, we will continue to advocate for an increase to a minimum of 3.5 hours.”

And long-term care worker Bonnie Soucie tells 570 News that since the Harris government repealed the minimum of 2.25 hours of personal care per day, residents have slowly been stripped of their dignity and are being treated to less personalized care.

Soucie says she’s expected to care for up to 40 patients in a 10-hour shift but laments their just is not time for the personalized treatment that many seniors need.

Government stats show Ontario is spending $155.30 a day, per person in long-term care, with only PEI and New Brunswick spending less. At the other end of the spectrum, Quebec spends $254.30, Saskatchewan $216.70 and Alberta $201.80.

Hurley says it’s been 9 years since then-Health Minister George Smitherman promised a “revolution” in long-term care. He says unfortunately, the recent provincial budget will also slash more LTC funding.

Hurley adds hopefully, the upcoming by-election in the riding of Kitchener-Waterloo pushes the healthcare spending issue to fore.

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