Now, more than ever, as society plans to live with Covid as a new normal, we must speak for our beloved seniors in isolation. Our elected officials must find a plan for safe, meaningful visits with loved ones and seniors in isolation in long term care homes. Thank-you for signing the petition asking our elected officials to Make safe access to Seniors isolating in Long Term Care the Country's TOP priority. Please continue to share the petition, it is making a difference.
On June 22, Manitoba showed some leadership and presented the beginning of a sustainable pandemic plan for long term care balancing between visiting loves ones and staying safe announcing that the province is able to resume indoor visits for people who are essential to the care of the resident at care homes and that they are developing year-round outdoor shelters (with proper ventilation, heating and the ability to easily be cleaned) for all of Manitoba’s personal care homes.
I would like to share with you an email I sent to our elected federal and provincial leaders:
Dear Prime Minister and Ministers:
This is the fourth request for our elected provincial and federal leaders to consider the on-line petition to Make Safe Access to Seniors isolating in Long Term Care the Country's TOP priority. Over 58,000 have now signed the petition, and the number of signatures continues to rise. Attached are the comments and the signatures.
This also requests that there be a coordinated National On-going Pandemic plan for all Canadians in long term care.
I invite you to look at the leadership and the foresight of Manitoba. Today (June 22). Cameron Friesen, Health, Seniors, and Active Living Minister, announced that the province is starting to allow indoor visits for people who are essential to the care of the resident at care homes starting on Tuesday June 23 and that they are developing year round outdoor shelters (with proper ventilation, heating and the ability to easily be cleaned) for all of Manitoba’s personal care homes. In the afternoon press briefing, Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer declared that ”Covid 19 is not going away and we need to live with the virus in the foreseeable future.” Lanette Siragusa, Manitoba’s Shared Health chief nursing officer proclaimed that “family and loved ones play a very important role for residents health and well-being in their lives” and recognized the impact that the restrictions over the past several months have had and that the Province is trying to find a balance between visiting loves ones and staying safe. Siragusa described the above-mentioned revisions for visitation protocol for personal care homes and the conditions, explaining that the province had been working on a plan to enable safe indoor visits for the past month. The program also includes: developing a refresher course in PPE education, reviewing cleaning and disinfecting protocol, ensuring Personal Care Homes(PCH) have an outbreak protocol up to date and in place, updating screening questions (aligning with the new public health order), continuing to evaluate the one site staffing model, and work with Manitoba Health who is re-establishing the PCH licensing the process to include Covid guidelines.
Thank-you Manitoba for your leadership in the management of our beloved seniors in isolation in long term care. Thank you for presenting what we hope is the beginning of a workable, sustainable long term care pandemic plan that balances between visiting loves ones and staying safe
This further requests that Prime Minister Trudeau and the other provincial premiers look to the leadership of Manitoba Premier Pallister, and do more. NOW, more then EVER as Covid restrictions are being gradually released across the Country and we are planning for Covid to be here to stay - WE NEED A a National pandemic plan now and in the future, that balances compassion and acceptable risks. Prime Minister Trudeau please step up for all Seniors across the Country. Our seniors have paid their pound of flesh tenfold during this pandemic. How can we do any less that make their mental and physical well being the Country's top priority now and in the future?
Thank-you for taking the time to read this and for protecting and representing our most vulnerable.
On behalf of the 58,000+ who have signed the petition
Perry Lupyrypa,
Daughter of Betty Pratcshler, recent widow and new resident of Brightwater Seniors Residence