Long-term care group commends local MPP for new funding for residents
The Haliburton-City of Kawartha Lakes Long-Term Care Coalition today commended Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP, Laurie Scott, on the provincial government’s recent announcement of up to $270 million this year to increase direct care to residents of Ontario’s long-term care homes. More than $4 million of these funds have been designated for nursing homes here in the area.
“This is welcome news for residents and frontline workers here locally,” noted Bonnie Roe is media release. She is a co-founder of the coalition from Haliburton County. “These funds are so desperately needed as our seniors need more hours of care each day and nursing home staff are overworked.”
The LTC Coalition has been engaging MPP Scott’s office for more than a year including meetings, phone calls, and providing information on the issue. This summer, the group hand-delivered a petition with some 3,600 signatures demanding changes, specifically naming the need to increase resident care to ensure at least four hours of direct care per day. The petition now has more than 5,000 signatures.
“Persistence pays off,” notes Roe who led recent political advocacy efforts. “We want to commend Laurie and her staff for engaging with us and hearing us – and so many local residents – on this vital issue for everyone.”
The LTC Coalition’s co-founder from Kawartha Lakes, Mike Perry, agrees: “This is a start and we want to ensure the government follows through on this commitment even earlier than planned. But today is good news and credit is due.”
“People’s actions on issues can make a difference,” Perry adds.
The LTC Coalition will continue to press for changes to nursing homes, including: improving care conditions and staff workloads; re-instating annual, consistent inspections; and removing the profit motive from caring for frail seniors. These demands were adopted unanimously at a local town hall on long-term care held here locally last year.
For more information or to join the Coalition’s action, call Bonnie or Mike, or visit the group’s website: www.ltcneedsyou.ca
