One shower a week!

That’s what the latest round of budget cuts has meant to vulnerable residents of long-term care homes in Ontario. One shower a week; when summer temperatures all week have been in the thirties. One shower, out of the regular, government-mandated two.

“Respect the vulnerable …” These words were buried in Doug Ford’s campaign “Plan for Ontario,” along with a promise to, “Commit resources to combat … elder abuse.”

Really? As shown by the initial results of the latest cuts to long-term care, it seems the Ford government is more focused on committing elder abuse than combating it:

  • How is cutting the weekly hours of personal support workers in Ontario LTC homes combating elder abuse?
  • How does sowing anxiety and fear about their own job security among the uncut personal support workers (PSW), that results in increased sick days and heavier workloads for those who do come to work, combat elder abuse?
  • How does denying residents, some of whom require two people at a time to help them, the second of only two government-mandated weekly showers, in a heat wave, due to a government-mandated skeleton staff, combat elder abuse?
  • How is eliminating the number of weekly hours a music therapist can devote to personal, as opposed to group, activity, combating elder abuse?
  • How does reducing the number of days the chaplain can offer solace to vulnerable residents, from one a week to two a month, combat elder abuse?
  • How does breaking up teams of PSWs, that have worked successfully to care for and comfort the same vulnerable residents for 10 years and more, to enable “bumping” by outsiders with more seniority, combat elder abuse?
  • How does cutting the hours of activation therapists, who work to engage isolated residents and reduce their loneliness and boredom, combat elder abuse?
  • How does no longer funding individual-specific physiotherapy, but basing funding on number of beds per home, combat elder abuse?
  • How does reducing the number of weekly hours a dietitian can devote to any Ontario LTC home, along with maintaining current funding for food at last year’s level, in spite of well documented, constantly increasing pricing, combat elder abuse?

Maybe the Ford government could take note of the response to these Draconian cuts from one Ontario LTC home. They are doubling-down on reduced staffing levels; working longer hours on their own time; and ensuring in every way they can that their vulnerable elderly charges are not further damaged by this government’s actions. This could be defined as “combating elder abuse.” It could also lead to higher levels of staff burnout.

In light of the findings in the recently released Wettlaufer report, the Ford government has promised only to “study” two of 10 provisions — those related to inadequate staffing levels and the need for increased funding.

However, the same government is currently responsible for reducing the funds allocated to LTC and, in response to outrage from various consumer, professional and opposition groups, has offered only to defer these cuts, which were slated to start on Aug. 1, until October this year.

This government has also promised to review the recommendations in the Wettlaufer report, determine a course of action and provide a full accounting of its decisions to the public in a year.

A year? While we wait to find out what, if anything, the Ford government plans to do about the causative, institutional factors that contributed to Wettlaufer’s murderous actions; two of which are clearly flagged as chronic underfunding and understaffing; how many of our most vulnerable citizens have to wait for their end in LTC homes, which can neither care for them properly nor ensure their engagement, comfort and safety?

Our new minister of Long-term Care, Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, an admitted supporter of two-tier health care, will only commit to unspecified levels of new funding. How much this might be, what it would cover or when it would be available, are questions that remain unanswered.

It appears the government that promised to “work for the people” is ignoring the very people who need them most.

Will it take another underfunded, understaffed home, facilitating another twisted Wettlaufer, to make this government honour its promises?

Jennifer Brown is a writer who lives in long-term care and advocates on issues affecting Ontario seniors.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/09/04/long-term-care-cuts-harming-seniors.html