(Toronto) – Progressive Conservative Health Critic, Elizabeth Witmer, today urged the McGuinty government to make seniors a priority, by providing more direct care for nursing home residents. Nursing home residents, their families and staff are asking the McGuinty government to use the 2009 Budget to correct the 6 year erosion in funding for services that support resident care, comfort and safety.
In February, the Ontario Long Term Care Association launched a province-wide postcard campaign to urge Premier McGuinty to provide desperately needed funding. To date, MPPs have received more than 35,000 signed postcards. Seniors across Ontario ask that the Premier not forget them during the upcoming budget.
While residents in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and New Brunswick have more than 3 hours of personal care per day, Ontario residents do not even receive 3 worked hours of personal care, per day.
QUOTES:
“During the 2003 election, Dalton McGuinty promised to provide each nursing home resident with an additional $6,000 dollars of personal care. However, the Premier has never fulfilled his 2003 election promise,” stated Witmer.
“Six years of Liberal inaction has seriously restricted Ontario’s ability to meet the demands of our aging population,” said Witmer. “More than 25,000 people are on a waiting list for a long-term care bed. I believe our seniors deserve to live with dignity and respect.”
PREMIER MCGUINTY MUST:
· Provide a sector-wide staffing increase of the already promised 2,500 more personal support workers (PSW) and 2,000 more nurses.
· Expedite the redevelopment of Ontario’s 35,000 oldest LTC beds.
· Simplify the more than 400 regulations which govern nursing homes.
· Produce a comprehensive plan with benchmarks to reduce LTC waitlists of more than 25,000 people.
· Fund the additional 3 minutes of direct care still needed to reach a daily average of 3 worked hours of resident care.
· Invest in high impact resident care initiatives such as programs, activities, meal preparation and incontinence care.
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For further information contact:
Elizabeth Witmer, MPP
(416) 325-1306