According the the BC Center for Disease Control, a senior is now allowed to have an Essential Visitor in their care home and a Social visitor. This is not followed by all homes. The process of applying, is too cumbersome, the approval from one home to another varies even though the applicant criteria are the same. Families often have to go through the Quality Care Office losing precious time with this bureaucratic wait and discrepancy. 

Seniors isolated for over a year still see their family member through online, plexiglass or a designated area for a limited time. The seniors' advocate survey shows that most outbreaks came from workers not family. Seniors care more about seeing their loved ones than getting Covid. Most, especially those with dementia, have become mentally and emotionally worse due to isolation, boredom, neglect, lack of dialogue, and simply put; lack of love.  

Essential visitors who have been vaccinated and have PPE are still not allowed to come and go when they can, hug and look after their loved ones daily needs as before. Some work can't visit in the evening or weekends as there isn't adequate staffing at the home yet millions were given to this end. Seniors long to see their grandchildren or a loved one who is not essential and some will die without having seen their family. These policies verge on denying seniors their human rights. Care homes have become worse than prisons. We keep hearing things will change but it is needs to happen now. 

The BC government must immediately order all homes to :

1. Allow and give unlimited visitation of one Essential Visitor and speed up of their vaccinations.

2. Allow 2 Visitors per senior for twice a week minimum.

3. Ensure there is enough staffing for evenings and weekends to make these changes. 

I belong to the Long-Term Care Advocates & Support Group of 201 members and the Let Love In To Long Term Care-Fraser Health/VanCoastal Group of 87 members.

https://www.seniorsadvocatebc.ca/osa-reports/staying-apart-to-stay-safe-survey/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/09/16/coronavirus-dementia-alzheimers-deaths/?arc404=true&utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&fbclid=IwAR2Nlsn3Yj6s_37jBLl9KgZhGEZrq4oqsz-CmEG5MTuWeW6vjVAuzaPHMRA