Long-Term Care Today
Canadians have for years been turning a blind eye to the state of long-term care homes across the country and ignoring the growing question of how to care for the elderly, says one doctor.
Samir Sinha Director of Geriatrics Sinai Health
New Feature: News from the front lines in Seniors’ LTC, Inspired by Carol Wodak founding member of CITIZEN WATCH
BACKGROUNDER: CITIZEN WATCH was created as a public service for the people of Alberta. It was the work of an ever-widening network of individuals from across the province, including families and friends of long term care and assisted or supportive living residents and those requiring long term care supports in their own homes. CITIZEN WATCH WEBSITE
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18 May 2020 Old money Tortoise Thousands of care home residents are dying from Covid-19, and staff are on minimum wage. But in the background, big profits are being made. Ian Birrell investigates a broken industry
Long-Term Care Challenges Europe 2018
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If you’re wondering where the annual $21.7 billion of federal funding of Australian aged care goes, here’s a visual illustration: Areti Arvanitis, the wife of Epping Gardens nursing home mogul Peter Arvanitis, with her Maserati.
It goes into providers’ pockets. #auspol pic.twitter.com/6wreaVmUlI
— Sarah Holland-Batt (@the_shb) August 2, 2020
What happened in #LongTermCare & Retirement Homes in Canada at the start of #COVID19? Read the recently published report which is based on interviews with more than 40 #PatientPartners and healthcare leaders.
Full Report: https://t.co/wZqveVryiQ pic.twitter.com/kT3HtywzXu
— CFHI-FCASS (@CFHI_FCASS) August 4, 2020
UBC study reveals older adults coped with pandemic best https://t.co/MCLZCUcsoN Older adults possess considerable expertise. Let’s remember to check on our older loved ones and also recognize they can still make contributions during the pandemic. via @ubcnews #seniors #research
— SeniorsAdvocateBC (@SrsAdvocateBC) August 4, 2020
Had my first inside visit with my mom in months. She’s despondent and weighs 70 lbs but I asked if she new me under the mask she said yes. I made it out the door so she wouldn’t see be balling my eyes out. I long for pre-covid days.
— Sheryl (@sheryl_help4mom) August 5, 2020
Long-term-care workers protest staffing levels at St. John’s homes
Workers in long-term-care homes in St. John’s say they’ve been running on fumes throughout the pandemic, and are getting burned out due to low staffing levels.
Staff at St. Luke’s and the Agnes Pratt Home staged a demonstration during their lunch break on Wednesday to protest their working conditions.
The workers said they’ve been denied vacation time, have been asked to work on days off, and worked shifts without a full staffing complement.
“It’s beyond a breaking point, actually. These staff, they’re tired of being tired,” said their union leader, Jerry Earle, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees.
Earle said staff members are sick of their phones ringing during their days off. In some cases, he said, people have been mandated to work on days off, rather than having it left up to them.
Long-term-care homes faced stiff restrictions during the height of the pandemic in the province. Families were not allowed in to visit their loved ones. Staffing levels have long been a complaint among long-term-care homes, and family members would often provide care to loved ones that staff members didn’t have time for.