HANOVER - GOODBYE LONG TERM CARE BEDS

Long-term care change unpopular
By LAURA MACDUFF, QMI AGENCY AUG 23,11

HANOVER -- About 200 people, mostly seniors, attended a public meeting Monday in Hanover about a deal that might see 41 long-term care spaces moved from Hanover to Chesley.Many opposed the proposal that would see the beds sold by Hanover Care Centre to Capricorn Investments Limited, owner of the Elgin Abbey care centre Chesley. Many were con-c erned about elderly people having to move.Kim White a Ministry of Health and Long-Term care representative, said afterward she will take local concerns to officials in Toronto.I have to somehow convey the passion that was evident in this room today. Everybody spoke not only of personal experiences but businesses experiences and very much a community focus and so it's really important that we not only convey the number of people but the passion of all of those speakers, White said. So we tried to capture as much as we could on paper but I will also be doing a verbal report to the director in Toronto so that we again can convey that this community has some significant concerns about this and here are their reasons and (that) they also have some questions about the process and so it behooves the ministry to also respond to the questions that were nicely captured by the mayor.Hanover Mayor Kathi Maskell said people in care shouldn't have to move to see the service continue.The Town of Hanover wants to ensure the needs of people in our long-term care health system are not trumped by financial business decisions at the expense of our community and our most vulnerable residents, those who in the past have helped to build the community that we enjoy in the present, she said.

These citizens don't deserve to be forced from their residence without input, consultation or caring, she said.Life is always about personal relationships and personal relationships are critical to the well-being of long-term care residents. Today, that well-being is threatened. It's threatened by the slow erosion of close bonds with family and friends due to reduced communication and there is not a doubt that there will be fewer visits when the distance is increased. That well-being is being threatened by loss of community connection and familiar surroundings.In rural Ontario, and small town Ontario, those community connections are vital and they help to stave off the depression that sometimes, often, accompanies old age.Concerned individuals took to the microphone following Maskell's presentation expressing their concerns about the possible loss of beds.Members of the public shared concerns with not being in the community where they want to live, taxi costs, loss of connection to family, friends and community, not being near their doctor and being shifted form one care facility to another where the scenery is unfamiliar.White said the purchaser and the seller need to follow a certain process before any deal can be completed. Discussions will continue with the community and officials, while comments from the meeting will be taken to the ministry's licensing department in Toronto.White added anyone with concerns or comments may email or write a letter to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the mayor, the South West Local Health Integration Network.

PCs Correctly Focus on Redevelopment of Long Term Care Beds 24 August, 2011 (12:06) | Hospitals & Long-Term Care | By: editor

MARKHAM, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Aug. 24, 2011) - The Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) is pleased PC Leader Tim Hudak has promised to redevelop 35,000 long term care beds across the province and add an additional 5,000 beds in areas where need is the greatest.Redevelopment of older homes and adding new beds are key to providing equitable access to frail seniors across the province, said Gail Paech, CEO of the OLTCA, which represents 70 per cent of long term care homes in Ontario.The OLTCA’s election message is Access for All: High Quality Long term Care Homes for Seniors Now. It calls on the new government to take action immediately to ensure there is equitable access to high-quality, modern facilities, now and in the future.Considering demand for long term care is expected to nearly triple by 2035, action is critical to avoid a crisis of access, quality and availability of care in the future. Aging facilities don’t allow homes to provide the care that residents require, and the quality of life they deserve.Long term care homes across the province are providing exceptional quality, specialized care to some of Ontario’s most vulnerable citizens, said Paech.But we also care for the buildings that our residents call home. We need them to be redeveloped and properly maintained so we can continue providing exceptional quality care in a home-like environment within the community.

OLTCA’s call to action identifies steps that need to be taken now to update long term care homes so that facilities are safe, comfortable and modern. It also asks for the stable and sustainable funding that homes need to maintain an environment that supports the best possible care for residents and can be a place they are proud to call home. Lastly it identifies the critical need for new and modern facilities to be built in the right communities so that everyone who needs long term care, now and in the future, can access it.Access for All: High Quality Long Term Care Homes for Seniors Now is available online at: www.oltca.com.

Ontario Long Term Care Association

OLTCA represents 70 per cent of Ontario’s long term care homes. Our 430 homes come from the not-for-profit, charitable, hospital, municipal and private sectors. Together they provide quality care to more than 50,000 Ontario residents and employ almost 50,000 people. Our member homes are regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and provide care and accommodation services to residents throughout Ontario.Article source: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/pcs-correctly-focus-on-redevelopment-of-long-term-care-beds-1553307.htm