Today is Health Care Aide Day in some parts of Canada, but while it’s not recognized in Ontario, a local man wants to use the occasion to raise more awareness.
Derry McKeever will be holding an individual protest in Tilbury and Chatham today to shine a light on the quality of care and working conditions for staff in long term care.
“I want to talk to people about what’s going on in nursing homes. In Tilbury, there is a crisis, the long term care facility will be closing and moving to another facility somewhere else. In Chatham, we need to talk about how the municipality is treating workers at the mandated long term care facility that we have.”
McKeever says better working conditions for staff – including vacation time and benefits – will translate into better care for residents.
“What I am concerned about is will I have any quality of live if I get the health issues that come forward to place me in long term care,” McKeever says. “I am concerned that quality of care, much of it depends on the attitude of workers. If the workers are treated right, I think everyone wins.”
McKeever will be protesting at the corner of Canal and Erie in Tilbury from 11am until 1 this afternoon, and then in Chatham at St Clair and Grand from 3-5pm.
“Success to me would be one person getting involved and saying I want to make a change.”
