TORONTO, March 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ontario Health Coalition has been tracking the number of residents and staff infected with COVID-19 in long-term care homes as well as the number of health care workers who have contracted the virus, listed by town across Ontario. Distressingly, the list has grown significantly since last week, the Coalition notes, particularly in the province’s long-term care homes. For the most recent update see here: https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/resources-analysiscovid-19-resources-analysis-of-the-ford-governments-response/
“Care workers at all levels and across the continuum of care are concerned for their safety, the safety of their families and the safety of their patients,” said Natalie Mehra, executive director. “The spread of COVID-19 in the nursing homes is frightening for residents and their families and also for staff who are contracting the virus in increasing numbers. From hospitals to home care staff are also reporting that they are facing rigorous rationing of personal protective equipment (PPE). Care workers in multiple health care settings, long-term care residents and their families are upset and scared and want to know what concretely is being done to address their needs.”
“Even before COVID-19 there was a staffing crisis in long-term care. Every home, virtually every shift was working short-staffed,” added Ms. Mehra. “Many PSWs could not get full-time work and had to work in multiple workplaces. Families have to hire in extra caregivers who also travel between clients and facilities. In this situation, this make the virus even more difficult to contain and it makes the burden of work in the homes very very hard indeed.”
The Coalition noted that the Ford government has passed regulations under their special emergency legislation enabling the homes (and hospitals) to bring in lesser trained or untrained staff and volunteers. The Coalition, which released a report on the staffing crisis with evidence from cross-Ontario roundtables over the last year in which they consulted with more than 350 front-line long term care PSWs, home administrators, PSW college course administrators, family councils and advocates, reported that this is the opposite of what they have been calling for.
“Obviously we are in a whole new level of crisis and we understand that more help is desperately needed,” concluded Ms. Mehra. “We are asking the Ontario government to tell Ontario health care staff exactly when more PPE is coming, and to commit to ensuring that staff are protected with N95 masks as they are calling for. In addition, immediate action needs to be taken to support the long-term care workforce, not simply to deregulate and undermine the existing staff, but to get them into full-time work, improve their wages and conditions, and help the homes recruit more staff urgently. It is not enough to call them heroes. They need real support and protection and so do their patients.”
For more information: Natalie Mehra, executive director (c) 416-230-6402.