This is a petition to change the age restrictions on psychiatric services in long-term care homes for early-onset Alzheimer's patients in Ontario. 

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Update: We have made some progress! Thanks to the support of our MPP and various advocates, my mother has been admitted to a long-term care home. This is a crucial step, and I am grateful for everyone who helped us get here.

However, despite this progress, my mother still faces limitations due to existing policies. She does not yet qualify for the full range of psychiatric resources, which are critical for managing her Alzheimer’s (especially in a crisis state) and maintaining her quality of life.

We will continue to push for the removal of these age-based restrictions and advocate for access to comprehensive care for all early-onset Alzheimer’s patients. Please continue to share and support this petition so we can make lasting changes in Ontario’s healthcare system. Thank you for your ongoing support.

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My name is Savannah, and I am calling on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to change the age restrictions for psychiatric services in long-term care homes. My 60-year-old mother has early-onset Alzheimer's disease but is denied the care she needs because current policies limit psychiatric services to those aged 65 or older, creating a significant systemic barrier.

This policy traps my mother and others like her in a harmful gap in our healthcare system. Long-term care homes cannot admit her because she is under 65 and would have no psychiatric care, which is crucial for people with dementia, and the community resources she would usually qualify for are inaccessible due to her being in a transitional care unit at the Ottawa General Hospital. The system considers it “double-dipping” if she receives both hospital care and community services, leaving her without a clear path forward.

The transitional care unit, where she currently stays, lacks the essential enrichment that long-term care facilities provide, such as daily activities, exercise programs, and social engagement opportunities. These are critical for maintaining the well-being and cognitive function of someone with Alzheimer’s, yet they are unavailable in her current setting.

This situation is both unreasonable and inhumane. Is the system expecting her to wait in a hospital for nearly five years before accessing the services she needs? People with early-onset Alzheimer’s deserve appropriate care regardless of their age. My mother needs a long-term care home with specialized support now, not years from now. 

We ask the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to:

1. Remove the age restriction for psychiatric services in long-term care homes for those with early-onset Alzheimer’s and similar conditions.

2. Allow people in transitional care units to access community resources without being penalized by the “double-dipping” rule.

3. Ensure immediate and accessible care solutions for early-onset Alzheimer’s patients who don’t fit within existing age categories.

Please sign and share this petition to demand compassionate and fair care for people with early-onset Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions in Ontario.