Today (Oct 15th), the Prime Minister will meet with provincial and territorial leaders to kick off the inception of a national standard of long-term care, as COVID-19 outbreaks rise.
Trudeau announced on Tuesday this pivotal conversation, saying: “The time has come for a conversation between the federal government and the provinces on harmonizing and establishing norms for long-term care right across the country, so that all Canadians can be reassured that, wherever they live, we’re going to take care of elders who deserve the very best from all of us.”
This affirming first step toward a coordinated cross-country approach to protecting vulnerable residents follows two strongly-worded letters C.A.R.P. recently sent to both the Prime Minister and federal Seniors Minister calling for this as well as a set of critical and related demands, including:
- A renewed focus on better home care and community care to allow more seniors to age safely in place
- A fully realized Dementia Strategy for Canada
- Fully-funded best-in-class vaccinations against flu, pneumonia and shingles for all seniors; at minimum those in care settings
The office of the Seniors Minister also stated that the pandemic has “shone a light on the essential work of personal support workers across the country, who must be better recognized for the contributions they make to our society.”, another message clearly reflected in C.A.R.P.’s list of long-term care advocacy demands.
While we’re heartened that our calls for change are being heard, we’re all too aware that, until action is taken, these are merely promises—and promises don’t save lives.
“The real question is: when will see the results of these meetings and statements?” questions Bill VanGorder, C.A.R.P.’s Chief Policy Officer. “Our members have been waiting a long time to see governments step up to the plate and follow through on promises like these. We can’t afford to miss this critical window of opportunity to prevent another devastating wave of outbreaks in care homes across Canada.”
