The video of an Ontario woman whose grandparents are in a nursing home went viral, while she shares a moving call for the government to take further action.
In the video, a woman who identifies herself as Natasha says that it has been three months since her loved one took a shower. She calls on Premier Doug Ford of Ontario and the Minister of Long-Term Care, Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, to intervene, as what she experienced through her family is unacceptable.
In an accompanying video, she says her mother asked her to share a letter and read it out loud.
The videos are two of the dozens that were shared on social media this month in an effort to draw attention to the conditions of long-term homes in Ontario.
The hashtag #STOPTHESENICIDE was recently launched to raise awareness about the dire conditions and lack of dignity that patients in nursing homes are facing, as COVID-19 continues to spread, especially to the most vulnerable.
Maureen McDermott is the organizer of LTC Voices, which is demanding change and raising awareness about the conditions of long-term care in Ontario. Although they organized several protests outside Ontario’s nursing homes, which featured names such as federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, she decided to take action online in light of the new blocking measures. And while people used social media to express their frustrations about the treatment of loved ones, it seemed like it was falling on deaf ears. The shocking stories about long-term care conditions during the pandemic continued.
“We think, instead of highlighting what we need to change, we’re just going to show why we need to change and what’s going on behind the walls, for families, emotional pain,” she says Yahoo Canada.
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The loved ones who spent months without showering and the residents hitting the wall to get the attention of employees are just some of the anecdotes that are being shared on social networks with the hashtag. McDermott lived the nightmare firsthand with his elderly mother Elsie, who suffers from a variety of illnesses, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia and Alzeheimer. Since the pandemic, McDermott has had to face his mother’s separation for months and has not received clear information about his well-being.
The group of activists demands that more aid be sent immediately, including the military. McDermott emphasizes that they are not calling the Red Cross, as they are not trained medical professionals, although he admits that they can be useful in comforting residents by keeping them company. The group would also like to see a similar model used in Quebec, with funding that Ontario received from the federal government.
“Hire thousands of employees, pay them $ 21 an hour to train, and when they’re employed, pay them $ 26 an hour,” she says. “This is what Quebec did this summer in preparation for the second wave. Our government has done very little to prepare for this. “
McDermott also wants to see significant inspections by the Ministry of Long-Term Care. She claims that current inspections are planned in advance and not by surprise. Through these inspections, she would like to see licenses revoked at facilities that do not follow the proper protocol.
“Inspections need to mean something,” she says. “I have already made complaints to the ministry and I am stuck in their line of complaint.”
In the long run, McDermott wants to see a change in the system for profit. She would also like to see the enactment of Bill 203, the Law for More than One Visitor, which was presented to parliament by MPP Lisa Gretzky. The bill proposes that the Minister “respect and promote certain rights for people who receive care, support or services in congregated care settings and their designated caregivers”. It is currently in its second reading, although the legislature is not expected to reopen until mid-February.
“They need to get back to work,” says McDermott. “It is an absolute humanitarian crisis. Put the pen down on paper and advance the bill so that we can have meaningful access to our loved ones before planning their funerals. “
The Ministry of Long-Term Care has not yet responded to a request for comment.