The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a shortfall in the level of care at long term care facilities across the province.
Ontario premier Doug Ford made a promise to address the issue, and earlier this week announced there will be 4 hours of direct care per patient each day from front line medical workers.
He says this should be in full effect by 2024, but Shirley Roebuck, chair of the local chapter of the Health Coalition says that way too late. And it’s all too little.
“This is just more window dressing by Mr. Ford,” Roebuck says. “It means nothing and offers no relief for nursing home residents today.”
This will require hiring a lot more staff do with it comes the promise to educate and hire an additional 3700 employees including registered nurses and PSWs.
However, Roebuck says she’s seen no innovative plan to get more people trained to become PSWs and help stabilize staffing at long term care homes across the province.
“There’s no mention of increase in stable wages, there’s no mention of full-time jobs, and long term care folks cannot wait until 2024.”
