********************
I am a personal support worker (PSW) working with adults with disabilities. When I start my day, I go to an office instead of a group home. I am constantly required to go into my community.
From the office, I go grocery shopping and run errands for our group homes in the community. I get redeployed to group homes when shifts become available.
I support individuals one-on-one for walks/drives. I deliver inter-office mail to all of our locations. I call families of people we support to check in and see how they are doing. This is the role that has been created for me in this pandemic.
Everyday I am afraid that today will be the day that I am exposed to COVID-19. I am afraid that I will be an asymptomatic carrier who will bring it home to my family or into one of our group homes.
Day in and day out I am there to do whatever it is my agency needs me to do for the safety and well-being of the people we support. And I think my team is doing an amazing job at supporting and protecting the people we support.
When the government announced the $4 an hour increase and the $250 monthly bonus (for front-line workers) my waning energy was reinvigorated. Finally, someone had acknowledged the importance of our role and just how difficult it is in this pandemic.
After consulting with the Ontario government my agency told me that because I start my day in an office, not a group home, I do not qualify for the $4 an hour increase.
The agency has been told that I can only receive the increase for the time that I am directly supporting an individual. However, a group home staff could do any or all of the tasks I do and still receive the increase.
I work a minimum of 150 hours in a four-week period, and most of the tasks I do will not involve directly supporting someone. This means I will also not reach 100 hours of direct support in a four-week period.
When I heard this I felt like someone had kicked me in the gut. I am working hard and putting myself at a high level of risk. My bills have not changed because I am still working. My vehicle use has gone up because I need to use it to run errands for the houses.
We are providing essential services at great risk to our personal safety daily. We are limiting the community exposure of our group home staff and as a result the people we support.
We are essential but we no longer feel valued. This has had a huge impact on morale. It has drained the energy and heart from at least 50-60 PSWs across our region.
Doug Ford, I implore you and your government to reconsider our role.
May Topham
Orillia
********************
