Problems with the long-term care system have existed for many years, but COVID 19 has shed a tragic light on the crisis that currently exists municipally, provincially and nationally.  This is about how we, as a society, value our seniors.

The Haliburton-City of Kawartha Lakes Long-Term Care Coalition wants our local voices to be a part of the solution by supporting the petition below. We also want to affirm our support for our front-line workers while working toward fixing the crisis in long-term care.

Please let your voice be heard. This petition will be presented to our local elected officials on all levels of government. 

The Haliburton-CKL Long-Term Care Coalition is working to:​
 
Amend the Canada Health Act to include LTC

Include long-term care under the Canada Health Act to ensure public funding and apply national standards.
 
4 Hours of Direct Care

Implement the recommendations of the Registered Nursing Association of Ontario, including increasing staffing to ensure at least (4) four hours per day of direct care per resident; improving workloads, working conditions, and conditions for care; increasing infection prevention and control and nurse practitioner expertise in care; and enhancing specialized (e.g. geriatric) expertise in LTC leadership.

Inspections and Enforcement

Reinstate thorough annual Resident Quality Inspections, of all Long-Term Care homes, with consistency in enforcement when inspections yield rule violations in homes. Expanded performance indicators should include staffing levels, staff engagement, family satisfaction, and personal protective equipment supply.
These recommendations are consistent with Ontario’s COVID -19 Commission, 2nd interim report.
 
Change the Culture of LTC - Less Institution, More Home
 
Change the culture of long-term care to being more resident-centered and rights-based, including ensuring consistent implementation and safe expansion of the government of Ontario's long-term care essential caregiver (visitor) guidelines. 
Explore new models of care that will make Long-Term Care feel more like home.  i.e. the Butterfly Model of Care.
  
Take Profits out of LTC
 
Cease using private sector, for-profit companies for new nursing homes in Ontario, Invest all monies into supporting new not for profit care homes that will no longer put taxpayers' money into the pockets of shareholders, but invest in resident care.

As of March 3, Ontario surpassed 7,000 COVID deaths. Of the 7,014 deaths recorded, 3,745 came from Long Term Care Facilities.  For-profit Long-Term Care homes received 70 percent of violation citations despite accounting for 56 percent of the homes in the province. This is further evidence that while the LTC crisis in Ontario is widespread, the heart of the problem is found among for-profit homes.

The pandemic didn't create the crisis, it just provided awareness of a broken system.

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes Long-Term Care Coalition
ltcneedsyou.ca

March 2021