MPP needed who will continue to support our seniors
Posted Mar 4, 2010 By Marlene Vanderscheer
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Tweet ThisDear Editor:
"Times are changing!" This is a phrase we hear every day of our lives. But, that is an understatement in the lives of our seniors in our local communities here in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville. Do you remember when we used to call the homes our seniors went to "Nursing Homes" or "Homes for the aged"? Now that Bill 140 has passed Royal Assent and will soon come into effect, those titles will be gone and we will now refer to these same facilities as "Long Term Care Homes".
The question that comes to mind is "What does this mean"? The changes in Bill 140 mean that all people who are unable to live in supported residential care in our community and require "Long Term Care" will now become residents in our "Nursing Homes". These people include young adults with brain injuries, mental health and addiction patients. Under Bill 140, these patients will be placed with our seniors in the same facility.
In the last year, we have seen the closing of Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls, the gradual closing of the ROHCG Brockville site previously known as the Brockville Psychiatric Hospital and the overcrowding of hospitals forcing our seniors to wait in waiting rooms hoping to get transferred to a Long Term Care Home.
Our nursing homes are already operating with minimal staffing patterns and funding constraints. Competing with hospital wages puts these homes already behind in terms of recruitment. The government really needs to look at supporting our seniors when they need it the most and stop pushing everything onto them. How will the nursing staff be trained and supported in terms of dealing with the new clientele they will be facing? Where will the money come from and why should our seniors not have a place to go to get the care they need and not have to worry about fitting in?
We, as a Family Council, have written this letter today not to scare the families looking to place their loved ones in nursing homes but to inform them that these homes need our help. As March has arrived, a new representative will be replacing Bob Runciman in our area. We ask you, the public, to press the need for our new leader to take these issues to Queen's Park as Mr. Runciman did.
By no way is this letter a political campaign but more of a reality check. We need someone who is going to ask the tough questions and support our seniors.
Marlene Vanderscheer on behalf of Carveth Care Centre Family Council
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