Situation Critical: Gridlock solutions

The options for solving gridlock across the long-term care system vary – from more money and beds to alternative assisted living arrangements.  And while advocates search for answers, attention is turning to making the nursing home a desirable option for the frail elderly instead of a dreaded “institution of last resort,” as the Canadian Health Care Association put it in a 2009 report.

What do you think are potential solutions?

Comments

[Valli Ostrowski]

My Mother is in a home here in Hamilton and while the care is good and the people who work there are caring, they are stretched to the limit and there are many areas that fall short because of lack of funds and shortage of people. I think though, that it's important for the family to stay very involved with their family member's care. Too often I see that someone has been left in the home and they are not being provided with decent, well fitting clothes, shoes, and items to make their room feel like a home. This is the responsibility of the family. Caring for the elderly members of our family should not be the sole responsibility of the nursing homes. It hurts so much to see some of these residents who rarely or never get visitors and who are wearing shoes with holes in them or pants that won't stay up because the elastic is gone from them. Their families don't seem to want to be bothered anymore or think that the staff at the home are looking after all this. That is not their responsibility, it's the family's.

[Kathy Hagan. R N]

Many non profit and some for profit homes do encourage families and residents to be familiar with the Residents Bill Of Rights. They provide copies upon admission and prominently display the rights on the entry level.
Unfortunately, unscrupulous operators do not pay heed to the rights and despite having to post them in a policy book they do not encourage staff or residents to become familiar with them.
In some residences residents and families are very afraid to complain for fear of reprisals and the staff while aware of issues are powerless.
I am very involved in investigating and reporting sub par care of our seniors and advocating for those who cannot do so themselves. We need our government to enforce and strengthen the standards we do have .

[Michelle Hruschka]

Ed: Loved your post and you are right that many people, will not do anything to actually stand and up and fight for something.

I guess fear stops them or they are just complacent, that they are not affected, thus they will do nothing.

Kathy: I noticed you brought the subject of lobbying by the multinationals, completely unfair and unjust, that the bottom line comes first before caring for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Maybe a good idea would be to set up workshops for seniors and their families to learn about the Residents Bill of Rights.

It is like Employment Standards, Occupational Health and Safety, many do not know what their rights are. Knowledge is a tool, to empower people.

How about setting up information pickets.

[t8]

Ed, I agree with everything you said until the natives started bitching again.I don't have the backbone to start tire fires or set up blockades to some how get what they believe is theirs.I know one thing,they won't be paying HST like the rest of us.Jealous,I don't think so,pissed off,a little bit.

[Emily Cretzman]

Regarding todays poll; what is needed to improve... its not just beds, we need more nurses, more PSW.

[steve sheen]

I would like to see politicians have to go to school and pass a course on how to be a politician,how to make things work for the good of the country and the good of the people.But anyway i think an answer is to build and supply for the elderly.

[Kathy Hagan.R N.]

Ontario has a large number of for profit homes owned by multi national corporations. This is a result of lobbying by groups looking to profit and they have been very successful. As a example McGinty eliminated the requirement to increase staffing levels per resident as a condition for receiving new funding. So for profit homes can receive more money but are not required to increase staff.
So one of the solutions to this gridlock is to tighten the rules that govern these places, enforce the residents bill of rights { which are weak and not fully enforceable unless a family member complains} and fund these homes on the basis of quality care which is measurable and the outcomes of actions taken by regulated caring staff and top class medical care.

[ed]

We've turned into a communist country of don't do this and don't do that or else. Police can pull us over on the road for just about any reason they dream up. We're being taxed to death by governments who are out for their own joy and prosperity and nothing more. We are lied to at just about every corner, CEO's are using the public purse as their own little playground with consultants and lawyers not far behind. And yet, the poor and elderly in our society are treated like nuisances while imigrants get babied for their vote. The vast majority of us just turn the other cheek constantly so the powers that be are free to take full advantage. The only people who stick up for their rights in this country are the natives, kudos to them. For the people who bitch at the natives, take a look in the mirror, you're just jealous because you haven't got the backbone to do it yourself. We are getting exactly what we deserve, you want to turn the other cheek, go ahead they'll slap that side to.