Sarnia city/county  councillor Margaret Bird. Blackburn News Sarnia file photo.Sarnia city/county councillor Margaret Bird. Blackburn News Sarnia file photo.
Sarnia

City councillor's call for long-term care action wins support

After years of advocating for better care at Lambton County's long-term care homes, Margaret Bird's call for action has received support from her city council colleagues.

Sarnia council unanimously endorsed sending a motion to Ontario's 444 municipalities, asking Premier Doug Ford to immediately start implementing resolutions to improve seniors' care.

"One, increasing hours for all part-time and casual labour," said Councillor Bird. "Two, since the government provides funding for privately operated homes, they have an obligation to inspect these homes and see they are being properly run and that funds are being used for the benefit of the residents and not the huge profitability of the operators."

Bird said her third recommendation is to end the neglect and unacceptable conditions being experienced each day by vulnerable seniors.

"The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the deplorable conditions existing in the long-term care homes in both Quebec and Ontario. Residents not being fed properly, bathed regularly, and often left for long periods of time in soiled beds. Canadians were horrified to learn how the fragile and vulnerable elderly were being abused. No human being should have to endure what these beloved parents, grandparents and loved ones tolerated."

Bird said a summarized list of complaints she's received from residents, staff, families, friends and volunteers is "identical to those discovered in the Quebec and Ontario long-term care homes."

"In 2019, I made eight presentations to county council asking for external third party audits to be carried out, but I was refused every time," said Bird.

She said during the pandemic she's learned it's been years since Lambton County's three long-term care homes have had a full physical inspection, and inspections have been carried out over the phone during the crisis.

"A proper physical inspection, which should always be unannounced, no date or time given in advance, has not happened in any of our three county homes for three years, and I verified these facts by the online public reports from the minister of health," Bird said.

The Ontario government has announced an independent commission into the way COVID-19 has spread through its long-term care homes will begin in September. 

Lambton County Long Term Care General Manager Jane Joris said all three homes have had a number of inspections each year since 2017, when each home had a full inspection, known as a resident quality inspection [RQI].

"All three homes have had inspections (not RQI's) this year and inspectors were at North Lambton Lodge just last week," said Joris. "All inspections are unannounced."

A report on County of Lambton Long Term Care Home Inspections from January 2020 can be viewed in the link below.

Information Report - Ministry of LTC Inspections - 2019 Final

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