We’ve asked all CARP members in Ontario to engage with your local candidates and get them on record in how they propose to deal with THE CARP 5.
One CARP member in Toronto is leading by example and has copied our office in her correspondence with local candidates in her riding.
CARP encourages every member to follow Philippa’s lead and engage with your candidates… by email, by phone or in person at their campaign offices!
With her permission, we’re sharing her letter with you.
Date: Wed, May 4, 2022 at 4:11 PM
Subject: Ontario election
To: Andrea Barrak <[email protected]>
There is one important thing you left out, though — seniors!
You must know that we turn out to vote in higher numbers than any other demographic.
And that we have serious grievances about our treatment by the current government, highlighted by the way covid hit care homes just after the Ontario government decided to save money at the expense of senior care inspections. Thousands of seniors have died, out of the many thousands who were living in disgusting conditions in long term care. The government did not learn, even after the army was called in to help.
The type of “care” provided is based on the same fill-in-the-forms model, and the same homes are even more understaffed now — pay for personal care workers is still totally inadequate.
Though not in care, I was very disappointed in the vaccine roll-out for seniors. Getting to a mass vaccination site and standing in line for a shot are both challenging if you are less fit than the average 35-year-old, and even worse if you rely on a wheel chair, walker, scooter, alinker or other device for mobility.
CARP is asking voters to request information from the candidates in this election as to their position on 5 basic needs for seniors (www.carp.ca/carp5), and to ask what their action plan for each would be:
1. Fund better home care [my most pressing concern]
2. Transform long-term care [ie, make it based on quality of life, not check-the-box medical criteria]
3. Drastically cut wait times
4. Make vaccines more accessible
5. Fund fitness for seniors
If elected to the provincial parliament, what would you try to achieve for seniors?
—
Philippa M
Toronto, ON
