Expert blasts Ontario’s long-term care homes, blames a lack of funding and public interest

CanAGE CEO Laura Tamblyn Watts reacts to the Canadian Armed Forces report showing shocking conditions at several long-term care homes.

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58 comments

    1. The nurses come in form their job at the other home and barely know what is going on with their set patient. Its a mess.

    2. @Adriel Is there no protection for whistleblowers? I thought it was standard procedure to have an anonymous line to report harassment for example, without retribution, or is it a sham?

    3. @Theron Ash There are protections in place for whistleblowers, there’s confidentiality at the reporting level. However, many times it’s very easy to figure out who advocated and if not, it’s not uncommon for a witch hunt to commence. I was cut for reporting abuse at a private facility. I didn’t get a single call for shifts after I reported an RN for abuse to the VP. Site Management tried to convince me to redeploy to another site, on suspicion that I was the whistleblower. The Manager actually pulled staff into the office, inquiring if they knew who filed the report. After years of exemplary work and commendations, I was dropped like a hot coal. The RN got 3 weeks leave, I lost my job, with no recourse. Where’s the justice?

    4. @Yvonne Mariane I for one would be more than happy to see every single incompetent, neglectful, abusive, staff member fired and charged if they have broken the Law. In the cases of abuse, licenses and registration should be revoked and charges should be laid. But that is just one problem out of many that requires addressing at these private facilities. They are running them on a skeleton staff with impossible ratios. Yet the for-profit LTC corporations are posting revenues in the hundreds of millions. Mother Teresa could not give the level of care required under the current system. You could (and we should) kick every incompetent employee out of these private facilities. Yet, even with the best of the best in situ; they’d be drowning. This is a multifaceted problem and a disservice is done to all when it is approached simplistically.

  1. I am a certified working paramedic in Ontario. Not shocked in the least. What does long term care mean? Neglect is what it means. Ask those whom depend on it.

    1. I am getting into that age group and I have no intention of ending up in one of those places. I will do myself in before I will let that happen.

      The privately owned and operated ‘homes’ are the worst, by far. Provincial and federal governments have ignored a terrible and frankly known problem for a very long time

  2. Nice that it took a pandemic and the military to make these issues know, instead of the numerous complaints and law suits that have been filed against LTC homes. Leisureworld had such a bad reputation medics began calling it “Seizureworld” to the point they had to change the name.

    1. This is why I hate humans ignore a problem until it can’t be ignored then everyone is suddenly caring and outraged.

    2. Right it has always been know and a blind eye turned to it. This too might die away unless it is put up front each day. It is all our seniors who built this society for all the young to enjoy. Lest we forget also fought for the freedoms we enjoy.

    3. There is nothing new about this. Federal and provincial governments have been knowingly ignoring the problem for years.

    1. Reality is seniors are thrown in hell. No respect for our loved ones, sweep there money like crazy. Big industry for making money not for Care. They should change name of these facilities, like hell graveyard or cremation buildings. Come over to save our seniors who built this country.

    2. You do realize the concept of marketing right? They sell the concept of care.. and make money by cutting corners required to offer any decent level of it. Right now they’re just talking about the public funded ones, can’t wait until the reports come in on some of the private horror shows that have no “we don’t have the budget” excuse as to why they allow this.

  3. Without Covid-19, and the military going in to witness this first-hand, the ethical health-providers and family members from years past, would _continue_ to be ignored. This is UNSAT!

  4. For $4000 most likely much more a person per month . And if the families dare complain about the loved one , they’d kick out the family member aka visitor. ( fifth estate did a story) I’ve seen it myself l The older generations in Disability Pensions or ODSP live a terrible life also.

    1. Homes were I am run about 6k to 10k a month. 10k a month and these companies that own them cannot pay PSWs properly?

  5. The problem is not only in Long Care Homes. It is also in the Home Care for Seniors and Disabled. My Mom was in a wheelchair and had cancer. She was allowed a worker for 15 – 30 minutes a day to prepare meals and maybe a quick vaccuming while she had a bath. That was when a worker showed up. Everything else Mom had to try to do herself or had to hire someone else to help her with the housework she could not do like change the sheets or order meals in. I was not living in BC at the time so was unable to help but would hear about situations worse than Mom’s.

    1. @Rob M actually not only do Canadians spend less per capita than Muricans but it covers almost twice as many per capita and is actually more efficient.
      But you’re right. Compared to more leftist countries we suck. We need to vote in the NDP next, as they’ve never even been in power (were talking federally here. They arent affiliated with the provinces despite the name)

  6. Canadian television networks have been doing stories like this for years on the horrors going on during the reign of several governments.

    1. @Brady C Yes lets vote NDP bankrupt the country even further (see Turdeau on steroids) and chase away any for profit business we can pay for our medicine with interpretive dances.

  7. I cared for my Alzheimers mother in the home…she died at 95 in 2016 and yes, I know, I was fortunate to be able to do that. However, I find many shirk their responsibility for those that cared for you when you needed them but remember you do this as your children are watching you knowing how you expect to be treated.. when your time comes!

    1. Personally the way I see it is if you’re parents take care of you when you’re a vommitting and pooping infant you can care for them in their old age.

  8. These places are private and the monthly amount they charge is astronomical so I guess the funding shortage is due to profit taking – anyway from now on the government must take the places over or apply strict rules. I would never go into one of those homes…

    1. You may not have a choice. Eventually we all grow old and need care. That’s why we need better funding, oversight and regulation for LTC residences. It’s heart-breaking to hear about the abuse our elderly loved ones suffer in their later years. It’s simply inhuman.

    2. There are public and private facilities, and some do mixed. The report focuses on five public ones, they’re avoiding talking about the private nightmares for a reason.

  9. Management in these homes are corrupt; threatening PSWs with termination when they come forward to report any incidents that will put the home in a bad light. It starts at the top.

    1. @Katherine Coles These private LTC facilities are staffed with RNs, LPNs, and PSWs. I’ve reported an RN personally at a private facility for resident abuse and she was protected by her RN Manager friend. This same Manager scoffed at me for reporting resident neglect by the same RN prior. It might suit your narrative to blame a single designation whilst ignoring abuse from others, but you are being either shortsighted or wilfully ignorant. I don’t share your bias, resident abuse is abuse, regardless of the abuser’s qualifications.

    2. @Big. R There are _some_ PSWs in LTC facilities who are neglecting residents, that is a fact, but they are not the _only_ ones doing so.

    1. And how corrupt a lot of the corporations involved actually are.. they’re in it to make a buck, even if it means cutting their costs to turn a profit. That’s why these issues are just as bad in for profit private facilities as well.

  10. Previous governments are all to blame..
    Lack of inspections, guidelines and consequences…did not happen overnight…

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