Thank you to all those who have signed and shared the petition to “make safe access to Seniors isolating in Long Term Care the Countries TOP priority.“ The support has been tremendous. The message has resonated. There are glimmers of hope, and I am writing to let you know that this conversation is generating steam. By creating awareness, we are all helping to make a difference. Last week, New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a pilot project at 16 hospitals around the state to begin to allow time-limited visits, with mandatory PPE (click here). While not in Canada, the project (and conversation) is universally applicable. Closer to home, on May 22, Councillor Matlow, Toronto's Senior Advocate announced that he had written to Premier Ford to ask that he consider recommendations for adoption by the Minister of Long Term Care including:
- Immediate changes made to the level and quality of care in long term care homes, with respect to pandemic relief including to follow Alberta’s lead, in homes that have zero recorded outbreaks, and when deemed safe to do so, each resident should be granted an essential visitor, which would contribute to and improve residents’ quality of life
- To Initiate an independent, objective and impartial Inquiry into Ontario’s long term care homes rather than a commission
- Culture Change: Adopt emotion-centered approaches to care into Ontario’s Long Term Care Homes Act, 2007 (LTCHA) and Ontario Regulation 79/10
Councillor Matlow needs your voice to sign the petition and send an email to Premier Ford, Minister Fullerton and your local MPP to request that they adopt these recommendations.
I am not claiming that our little petition has directly cause these events…but, the conversation has started, it is being heard and change is happening and you are helping lead and fuel it.
Many thanks for your efforts and know that we can continue to play a small part. I am asking that you keep the conversation going and invite at least one more friend to sign the petition asking our Federal and Provincial elected officials to make it a priority to find a safe way to open family visits to long term care. Feel free to copy and paste the blurb below:
Prolonged isolation has a negative effect –
Our governments are releasing restrictions. We can golf, get hair cuts, see a dentist and will soon be able to go to a gym....LET’S TALK ABOUT FINDING A SAFE WAY TO VISIT SENIORS ISOLATING IN LONG TERM CARE. Please take a moment and sign the petition to ask our elected officials to make this a priority. Here is the link
https://www.change.org/SeniorVoice
Many thanks –
Perry Lupyrypa,
Daughter of Betty – recent widow and new resident of a long term care home in Winnipeg.