OrilliaMatters received the following letter to the editor from Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) representative Kevin Gates regarding our article on recently announced funding for registered nurses. In Orillia, CLAC represents registered practical nurses, personal support workers, dietary, housekeeping, laundry, activation, cooks and maintenance workers at Leacock Retirment Lodge, Jarlette Leacock Care Centre and Oak Terrace.
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The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care recently announced funding for additional registered nurses (RNs) at four long-term care facilities (Trillium Manor in Orillia, Sunset Manor in Collingwood, Georgian Manor in Penetanguishene, and Simcoe Manor in Beeton).
This funding announcement is maddening because it falls well short of the actual needs in Simcoe County and is less than helpful to the other long-term care facilities throughout the county that continue to be understaffed and overwhelmed.
There are 26 long-term care facilities located in Simcoe County. Where is the additional funding for the remaining facilities and why is funding only targeted at hiring RNs?
This report issued by the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) shows there is a critical shortage of personal support workers (PSWs) throughout the region.
The report contends that the major factors contributing to this crisis include poor pay and the lack of full-time stable employment opportunities. The report also decries an oppressive number of patients who exhibit violent behaviours, resulting in a sharp increase in staff safety events, including physical and sexual assaults.
Despite this dire report from the LHIN, the 26 long-term care operators throughout the county are unable to provide wage increases in keeping with the basic inflation rate because of the lack of government funding. Low wages and oppressive working conditions need to be addressed urgently to stem the loss of workers in this sector.
The government can make all the grand announcements it wants about adding long-term care beds, but it is pointless if there are no staff willing to work at these facilities.
Long-term care homes in Simcoe County will continue to struggle to recruit health-care workers until the Ontario government gets serious about providing adequate funding to this sector. Until then, the beleaguered staff and fragile seniors who work and live in these 26 long term care facilities will continue to hope that help is truly on the way.
Kevin Gates
Christian Labour Association of Canada
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