November 18, 2022
Fixing Homecare Means Compensating Workers Properly
During question period Tuesday morning MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) asked the Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, whether she is satisfied with our home care system.
“Minister, every single week my office receives multiple calls regarding the failures in our home care system. Elizabeth is a senior in my riding who ends up sleeping in her chair at least once a week, because Bayshore doesn’t send a PSW to help get her into bed” Gélinas stated.
“Homecare reliability is so bad, patients who want to, who should be and could be at home, are stuck in hospital, leading your government to pass a law overriding frail elderly patient rights to consent and push them in a LTC home far away from home. Can the Minister please tell me if she thinks that our homecare system is meeting the needs of Ontarians?’’
The Ford government’s Bill 7, More Beds, Better Care Act became law in September 2022; it allows hospitals to send alternate level of care patients to long term care homes not of their choosing up to 150 kilometers away.
“Minister, our home care system is broken, it fails thousands of people every single day. Since this government was elected 5 years ago, nothing has changed. There is a huge human resources crisis in home care because this government does not fund home care adequately. Solving the home care health resources crisis means providing permanent full-time, well-paid jobs, with benefits, sick days and a pension plan. Then many PSWs not working in health care will come back to work in home care.
When will this government admit that home care is an integral part of our health care system and provide directives and funding to support it as such.”
Average PSW wage in Ontario currently sits at approximately $18 according to multiple employment and staffing websites with negligible or no benefits.