Healthy Elderly Get First Crack at Nursing Homes

After a series of articles highlighting the manner in which the elderly suffer from poor care in Ontario hospitals and abuse in Ontario nursing homes, now we learn the true reason for the cause for congestion and long waits for the sickest of the elderly.

Lo and behold, our nursing homes, which we as taxpayers fund, are playing games with both the elderly and the families that must care for them:  they are choosing the healthiest of the elderly to populate their facilities, while those that need it the most, are left behind in hospitals, who in turn, threaten families and elderly with illegal fees.  Sounds like a tag-team wrestling match, with nursing homes and hospitals teaming up, only we are the ones being pummelled to the ground, face-first, with our hands and feet tied behind our backs.

Shameful.  Dishonest. Unacceptable.  A call to action.  

I have asked my readers and those that come to this site through a web browser search, to contact their MPPs, in the past.  I am now asking you to do so again. This government and its lack of oversight must be challenged.  

The easiest way to ensure that there is transparency and a forum for citizens to complain about one of the most essential of human rights, as protected under our Charter of Rights, is to allow the Ontario Ombudsman to oversee and investigate into all areas of healthcare.  Today, the office of the Ombudsman cannot investigate complaints against the following:

• court decisions
• doctors
• hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities
• school boards & universities
• lawyers
• police
• federal government programs or decisions
• private companies & individuals

Why shouldn't nursing homes, hospitals and doctors have objective oversight?  Only through an external mechanism can we truly have accountability and responsibility in what are growing areas of concerns.  Self-regulation through Ontario College of Physicians, or Ontario Long-Term Care Organization or, Ontario Long-term Care Association, has not proved sufficient in the protection of our needs, rights and health care.

We can collectively make change happen.  My motivation stems from my father's last years' being cared by some of the best minds in terms of medicine, but also by some that were found lacking in both requisiste experience and compassion, and in facilities that represented some of the worst parts of the Ontario healthcare system.  I also want to be able to look my mother in the eye and know that I am doing what I can to stand up for their rights.

A call to action.  Its your turn, now.

Elderly Abuse in Ontario Nursing Homes

In the second part of The Star's Series on Elderly Abuse in Nursing Homes, we are introduced to more heart wrenching stories of elderly abuse and families that were not kept abreast of how serious some of these infractions were.


I'm sure the Ontario Liberal government will state that they're shocked and appalled at these findings, however, unless they increase the budgets of any departments that oversee and inspect these nursing homes, then it will be mere talk.  


In tough economic times, I find it hard to believe that other than meeting with these nursing home operators and demanding answers, the Liberals will properly police these homes on an on-going basis.  It will take an upheaval of massive proportions to create better watchdog and whistleblower protection to truly make a difference.  


It is no different than the water tainted scandal in Walkertown, the lysteria scare that befell Maple Leaf Foods, and the many other instances where self-regulation or laxed industry inspection or standards, eventually cause health scares.  Check out the self-regulatory standards in aviation in Canada that Transport Canada has agreed to.


If we continue to vote in market-oriented governments like the federal Conservative government and the Ontario Liberals that just won reelection, then already tight dollars that are being squeezed by further business-focused tax cuts or loopholes, cannot support the type of regulations we need in this country to protect you or I.  


This isn't a political pandering, its merely facts.  At the end of the day, there are only so many dollars available to a government; how it chooses to spend those dollars dictates what type of society we live in.  If we continue to vote for these parties, then we really cannot be shocked when these horrendous events or issues arise.


Nursing homes, education, health and safety.  I hope we make the right choice for our elderly today, tomorrow and every day.

Elderly Abuse - Part 1

As promised yesterday, The Star's series on Abuse in Ontario Nursing Homes sheds light on an increasing problem in Ontario nursing homes.


Please read the article and feel free to pass along to others.  Once again, contact your MPPs and MPs to communicate your concerns about this matter and the lack of accountability and reporting in a transparent manner. 


I encourage you to speak for those that cannot speak for themselves.  Its shocking and heartbreaking as to what passes for care, when it comes to our elderly.

Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

Please watch and share The Toronto Star's series on Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes, starting Thursday, November 17th.

We need to push our elected members of government at provincial, state and federal levels to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The elderly will double in number over the next couple of decades, and if we don't set better policies and protection now, it will only get harder as time passes.

Its time we force the governments to hold nursing homes responsible and accountable to us. Please, don't wait until one of your loved ones ends up as one of these victims.

Shame on all of us if we allow this to continue without standing up and being heard. Write, call or email your Members of Parliament and/or your Ontario MPPS.