Canada : Overhaul nursing homes, Toronto says

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Canada : Overhaul nursing homes, Toronto says

By Moira Welsh, the Star

January 13, 2003

Toronto city hall is gearing up to pressure the Ontario government into making sweeping changes of the province's long-term care system.

And the city wants the public to help make it happen.

This morning, the community services committee will debate a report calling on the city to take action to protect the elderly.

The report — which lists a series of recommendations prompted by the Star's recent series on nursing home neglect — was written by the citizen advisory group that watches over the city's 10 homes for the aged.

In the same meeting, Councillor Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina), who chairs the committee that oversees the homes, will call for the launch of a major public relations campaign bringing together the city, seniors' lobby groups and the public to put pressure on Minister of Health George Smitherman to make change.

"It is important that these issues be recognized at the municipal political level," said Paul Gamble, chair of the advisory committee on homes for the aged. The committee members are local citizens who advise the managers of the city's long-term care homes.

"I believe long-term care will become a major issue as the demographics age. If it's not dealt with now, we would be doing a great disservice to the elderly."

Chow acknowledged that Toronto homes "have our own problems" and said it is time to fight for changes — like extra funding — for extra staff to give better care.

"The seniors served us all their lives. They deserve to get the dignity and the care they need," she said.

The Star series, published last month, found widespread neglect throughout Ontario 's $2.1 billion a year nursing home system that cares for 65,000 Ontario seniors.

Using the ministry's own data — obtained through a series of Freedom of Information requests — the Star's investigation found that at least one-third of the province's 544 homes had a history of neglect, injury and abuse.

The system is shrouded in secrecy, so that families have no way of knowing which homes are negligent. As well, home operators are given few details when families complain to the ministry about their care.

In reaction to the Star's series, Smitherman promised a "revolution" in long-term care.

He immediately appointed one of his two parliamentary assistants, Nippissing MPP Monique Smith, to work full-time on the nursing home file. She is to report back with a series of recommendations for change by late February.

The citizen's advisory committee, however, wants the city to pressure Smitherman to make good on his promise with the following recommendations:

*Increase ministry funding of long-term care homes;

*Improve the ministry's use of its data and the way it shares the information;

*Make the system more transparent;

*Increase the community involvement in homes through increased use of advisory committees and family councils;

*Increase staffing and training.

If the recommendations are passed, Chow said they will go before city council later this month, which will decide whether to ask Mayor Miller to meet with Smitherman and press him to keep his promise for a revolution.

Chow said she will ask Miller to appoint a new senior's advocate to lead the campaign. (Former seniors' advocate, Councillor Anne Johnston, was defeated in November's municipal election.)

"The funding shortfall from the province means that every year we have chipped away little by little at the homes for the aged," said Chow.

"Every year we have a huge fight (in budget meetings) as to whether we can knock the service down another tier when what we really need is higher standards."

Chow said the province pays $131.2 million toward the city homes, while Toronto puts in $28.2 million.

The citizens advisory group also received reports from managers of the city's homes for the aged, defending their care, in response to the Star's series.

In one report, Sandra Pitters, general manager of the homes for the aged, defended the city-run homes against a story about one family's problems with Seven Oaks home for the aged in Scarborough .

The city has a "strong sense of accountability for providing the highest quality care to residents. Any incidents of staff non-compliance with required standards and procedures are addressed," Pitters wrote.

"For many years, survey responses have indicated an overall satisfaction rate of over 90 percent for the Division's care and services," she wrote.