Ontario NDP Urges Ford Government To Pass Minimum Care Law For Nursing Homes
In March, Douglas Moody could brush his own teeth, feed himself, walk 30 metres, use the phone to call his family and use remotes to turn on his television, adjust the bed or call for help. He can no longer do any of those things.
Janice Duffy says her 89-year-old father’s condition deteriorated drastically while she and her brothers were locked out of his long-term care home because of COVID-19 regulations.
“With the isolation, the progression and decline in my dad was nothing short of remarkable,” she told HuffPost Canada in an interview. “It’s disturbing, to say the least.”
Duffy believes her father’s condition got worse because staff at his nursing home, The Village of Glendale Crossing in London, Ont., didn’t have time to care for him properly.
Moody now needs round-the-clock care. Duffy and her brothers spend about 40 hours a week caring for him themselves, and spend $1,600 a week to get outside workers to go into his home and help.
Her father sometimes falls out of bed on purpose because otherwise he doesn’t get any attention, Duffy said. She also said she’s seen staff leave food in front of him and leave the room without helping him eat.
“I know the staff wants to do the right thing,” she said. “There just aren’t aren’t enough of them.”
The company that owns the home, Schlegel Villages, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Earlier: Premier Doug Ford defends COVID-19 lawsuit immunity. Story continues after video.
Duffy said she hopes the Ontario government will pass private member’s Bill 13 to require nursing homes to provide at least four hours of care to residents every day. Right now there is no legal minimum.
“At least it would be something that would be enforceable,” Duffy said, “to make sure they have to be staffed at a humane level.”
She joined NDP MPP Teresa Armstrong at a virtual press conference Wednesday to talk about Armstrong’s bill, the Time to Care Act.
“This is an urgent piece of...
