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Ontario Home Care Crisis
To/Against/For: for France Gelinas NDP, MPPPETITION
June 13, 2009 France Gelinas, NDP MPP 5085 hwy 69 North, Unit 15 Hanmer Shopping Centre, Hanmer ON, P3P 1P7 705-969-3621 Dear France Gelinas We are writing to you as concerned taxpayers with regards to Home Care in the Greater City of Sudbury and across the province of Ontario in general. Initially, the concept of freeing up hospital beds by providing home care to long term care patients which would then reduce the wait time for general care, day surgeries or tests sounded great back in 1997. Unfortunately, as it stands now, the province has approximately 26,000 Personal Support Workers who provide home care and are paid approximately $10 to $15 per hour compared to their counterparts at $18 to $22 per hour for working in senior residences, hospitals and nursing homes. In comparison, home care workers need to commute to each client and are not compensated for their gas and time. Home care workers travel long distances at times and are only payed for actual client time. They work 12 to 14 hours per day, but are only payed for 8 to 10 hours. The workers are putting out their own money to do their work. Therefore, their earnings actually drop below minimum wage and it is a shame. It is no wonder the province cannot attract more people to this field. We pay taxes for this service and in turn these valuable workers needed to care for the ever growing and aging population of baby boomers, are being disrespected. We are very concerned about receiving this service in the future, which was described by Roy Romanow as "the next essential service". Who will service this next essential service within our Health Care System if workers continue to justifiably feel unvalued, under payed, under compensated and disrespected? When treated as such with no improvement in sight, workers in this field start thinking of attaining alternate employment and strongly discourage others to seek employment into this "for profit" driven home care sector. We have seen many good workers leave because they could no longer afford to do this work thus further compromising our dignity. We do not blame the workers but rather, we blame our government for bad judgement and for the mis-appropriation of funds. Consequently many clients often do not get their care as their home care providers cannot afford the gas to do their job. The employer cannot find suitable replacements due to the shortage of Personal Support Workers. Some employees work 10 to 12 hours or more per day for 12 consecutive days only taking every second weekend off. They become part of the clients family and in some cases the only family some clients have. Many workers are not in this profession for the money! They do this work because they care about people....someone has to! At the same time, many workers need the money and if it is not there they leave this sector of health care for a better paying job or change profession all together! They know that on their days off or when they are ill, for which they are not compensated, their clients do not get the care they deserve and are often found in their soiled briefs exactly where they were left on their last visit. If you treated an animal that way...you would be charged! We as clients often do not even get the courtesy of a phone call advising us that we are not getting service. One has to wonder if the North East Community Care Access Centre (NE-CCAC) is even aware. When the NE-CCAC is made aware of missed visits or concerns are brought forward, nothing is done! Home Care is in crisis and needs to be addressed immediately. Although many people may not presently be affected by Home Care personally, they surely know someone who is. It may be a loved one, a neighbour, a colleague, a friend or a friend of a friend. It could be their parent or even their child. At this rate will home care be there for our children and grandchildren? We are concerned about our future as clients and the future of home care. Please help us reverse this crisis that has surpassed its breaking point by bringing its much needed attention to the Provincial Legislature on our behalf. Sincerely disappointed and strongly concerned:
Recent Comments
| Name | Comment | |
| Shannon | Home care workers deserve better. | |
| Joanne Osinkowski | The home care workers are overworked underpaid and unnappreciated by their employer. We as caregivers desperately need the homecare workers help and support. Why not give them the same privileges as the support workers in hospital do. The in hosp workers are better paid they don't have to drive around the city putting a dent in their pockets for gas or wear and tear on their vehicles. The "home"care workers are badly needed and so therefor be compensated appropriately. | |
| Robert McCarthy | This needs to be changed NOW!!!!!!!!! | |
| Maggie Julien | 28 missed visits in March and April, 2009. If things don't change now, I fear for my future care. | |
| Jenna and Cody Whitcher | Something needs to be done SOON. People are receiving less and less of the care they require; my brother being one of them. This home care crisis affects everyone whether they realize it or not. | |
| Manon Nascimento | This is definitely a cause worth fighting for. Hopefully this petition will bring the changes that are necessary and overdue. | |
| Charlotte Lizotte | it is very frustrating to do a job you really enjoy and have to deal with so much bureaucracy. Who suffers in the long run but the clients. Will there be homecare for my children at this rate. To do nothing is worse. We cannot bury our heads in the sand! | |
| Julie Therrien | I can't believe this is happening, something has to be done! | |
| Nathalie Julien | I've been working at my company for 5 years and have not received a raise yet. I love what I do but if health care does not improve how can I continue to do my job. The Minister of Health should really take more of an interest in this matter and make us feel valued again! Shame on him. Working for the Victorian Order of Nurses over 5 years ago was so much better than what we have today! | |
| Jason McKedie | shame on homecare providers for treating workers that way and shame on the Government for allowing such activities! |
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