Proposed cuts announced by Leisureworld Caregiving Centre Creedan Valley in Ontario will have a severe impact on resident care, warns the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing front line workers at the long-term care home in Creemore.
“Management recently revealed that they will be cutting the home’s Restorative Care Program which is Creedan Valley’s jewel in the crown,” said Jodie Hawthorne, president of CUPE 3114. “This program helps restore residents to their healthy self, providing them with a quality of life that they would not have without it. It is a popular program for families and their loved ones, and it is what sets Creedan Valley apart from other long-term care homes. So it is baffling to us that management would cut off our signature program.”
In addition to eliminating the seven-staff positions that deliver the restorative program, management is also planning to cut four personal support workers (PSWs) that take care of the 95 residents living in the home. “Cutting 11 staff will result in the elimination of 50 hours of daily personal care for the residents. It is impossible for remaining staff to absorb the 50 hours of daily direct care when we are already stretched to the limit. This will severely impact the daily care of residents.” CUPE has long advocated for a minimum standard of 3.5 hours of daily care per resident as a minimum – the proposed cuts represent a step backward.
“Our workload continues to increase with not enough time in the day to perform all the duties,” said Hawthorne. “The home is understaffed because of retention problems due mainly to workload and lack of regular full-time positions. We have offered management different solutions to resolve some of the challenges, but they have not been receptive to our input. Now they are proposing cuts that will severely hurt resident care and workers’ morale.”
CUPE 3114 represents 90 long-term care workers who are PSWs, nurses, kitchen staff, housekeeping, administration and maintenance staff. The proposed cuts are set for September, “but we are urging management to stop these cuts that will not only impact resident care, but also will severely harm the Creedan Valley’s reputation that front line staff have worked so hard to build over the years,” said Hawthorne.
For further information, please contact:
Jodi Hawthorne, CUPE 3114 President, 705-888-0316
Mary Cromwell, CUPE National Representative, 705-722-7387
James Chai, CUPE Communications, 905-739-3999