THE RAGE I FEEL RIGHT NOW.....All I can say is:
🖕🖕🖕 CHARTWELL & MIKE HARRIS🖕 🖕🖕
I don't have enough middle fingers for you. thestar.com/news/investiga…
"A PSW brought a lift to her room at 8:02 p.m. The second worker arrived a moment later. They had a routine: hook the lift to the ceiling, slide Judith into the sling, hoist her up and then lower her into bed. The first worker left within 5 minutes. The second stayed until 8:16"
"Workers would check on her again, but Judith was in bed for the night.
The next morning, two day staff arrived expecting Judith to sing a greeting, usually Doris Day’s “Que Sera Sera,” but today she screamed when they tried to roll her over in bed"
Ps. I was warning this government that #Omicron was becoming an issue for #LTC back in early December. There were 7 outbreaks by Dec 07 but the rate of growth was clear. I continued to track it ⬆️ over the last 3 weeks. They should’ve listened and acted sooner.
REMINDER: I've been calling for #BOOSTERS for #LTC for 2+ weeks now. Had they listened + acted faster, we could've completed boosters in LTC by now. Instead, only 84% of residents + 43% of staff have boosters and no word on that # for essential caregivers. #Reactive#Omicron
🧵 So we’re learning 41 #LTC homes are in outbreak & general visits are being halted. Essential caregivers STILL allowed in (good!). They’ve increased boosters among staff + residents BUT only meagrely & the figures are still too low! (84% residents & 43% of staff have boosters).
STILL NO MANDATE FOR N95 USE AT ALL TIMES (only when caring for covid+ residents) & STILL NO TALK OF AIR QUALITY UPGRADES OR SURGE STAFFING PLAN.
This plan focuses on 💉’s & still falls short. Why aren’t mobile clinics being sent to #LTCs to expedite boosters @RodPhillips01⁉️
I would also like to point out that the new LTC Act (Bill 37) DOES NOTHING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. We asked for clear legal rights for essential family caregivers and residents to never be separated again @RodPhillips01 but received none.
It’s in these moments I think of all the LTC families I’ve grown very protective of….like @hollyhoneyburke@samanthalburke who were forcibly separated from their mother in #LTC….like @JoAnneBeggsRSW who was forcibly separated from BOTH her parents (one of which passed alone).
I think of @CathyMParkes who lost her father while he was kept confined without any family access at Orchard Villa. I think of @Doris_Wai who lost her grandmother at Tendercare without a chance to say goodbye.
Many homes face short-staffing because there are NO STAFFING STANDARDS IN PLACE OR PROPER LABOUR ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKERS, thus retention remains an issue even for “good” not for profits (less of an issue w/ municipal homes because they have better work contracts & retention).
RECAP: There are 3 types of LTC ownership:
➖Private, For Profit (🙅🏼♀️)
➖Private, Not For Profit (many culturally specific homes fall under this umbrella)
➖Municipal (which have the BEST resident & staffing outcomes yet comprise the LOWEST share of our Ontarian LTC sector 🤯).
THIS is why we’ve been hitting home to this government that we need proper care standards in place NOW + regulations requiring decent work, pay, training/regulation for its workers.
This government did NOTHING CONCRETE to address these outstanding issues.