September 7, 2022
Care for seniors at home, don’t force them into LTC homes
This morning during question period MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) asked the Ford government why they continue to ignore expert and public opinions, and force seniors out of hospital and into long term care homes without their consent.
“Over the last month, seniors, their families, physicians, nurses and health experts have all warned the government that Bill 7 will do nothing to stop emergency room closures. It will do nothing to hire or retrain more nurses or to end the crisis in our health care system. An opinion poll in today’s Globe and Mail confirms that a majority of Ontario families agree. Why is the government plowing ahead with this dangerous plan?’’
This morning, a new Nanos Research poll conducted for The Globe and Mail suggests most Ontarians are uncomfortable with Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s law that will move, elderly patients who no longer need acute care, in nursing homes, without their consent.
The Ford government’s Bill 7 passed third reading last week, the bill “authorizes certain actions to be carried out without the consent of these patients, having a placement co-ordinator select a home and authorize their admission to the home.” Numerous organizations have spoken out, asking the government to withdraw this legislation which may override patient rights.
“Patients are already feeling the pressure from hospitals. Vulnerable people are being told their best option is to move into an expensive retirement home or a long-term care home they don’t want to go to. The government should be supporting people in their own home. That’s what they want. Why is the government pushing frail elderly people into long-term care homes against their will and without their consent?” Gélinas continued “Our home care system fails more people than it helps every single day, Speaker. The crisis in the health care system will not be solved by pushing our elderly away from their families into for-profit, long-term care homes that nobody wants to live in.
The health care system needs a permanent solution to recruit and retain valued health care workers, like permanent paid sick days, like repealing Bill 124, like giving nurses a chance to negotiate a fair wage after two and a half years of hell. Will the government stop pushing risky plans that are opposed by the majority of Ontarians and commit to solutions that actually address the crisis in our health care system?