A year ago, Ontario’s health minister promised to establish staffing and care standards to ensure that seniors in nursing homes get the care they need. Seniors and long-term care staff are still waiting for George Smitherman to make good on his promise.
“These seniors are our family members and our friends. All of us across the province should be calling on the McGuinty Liberals to act to restore dignity and respect for seniors in nursing homes.
“Instead of enacting standards, the health minister is running yet another long-term care consultation. That’s not what vulnerable seniors need,” says Sid Ryan, the Ontario president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE Ontario).
Two front line caregivers—one from Toronto, one from Peterborough—will join Ryan and the Ontario Federation of Labour president Wayne Samuelson at a Queen’s Park media conference on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 (10:00 a.m.) to provide a first-hand account of the difficulties trying to provide adequate care to frail seniors under current care standards.
On Valentine’s Day, CUPE long-term care members took their Time to Care campaign to nine Liberal MPP constituency offices calling on them to push the health minister to introduce a 3.5 hour standard of care.
WHO: Nursing homes caregivers
Sid Ryan President, CUPE Ontario
Wayne Samuelson, Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL)
WHAT: Media Conference
WHERE: Media Studio, Queen’s Park
WHEN: Wednesday, February 27 – 10:00 a.m.
For more information, please contact:
Sid Ryan President, CUPE Ontario (416) 209-0066
Wayne Samuelson President, OFL (416) 571-7408
Stella Yeadon CUPE Communications (416) 578-8774