Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
How could so many seniors’ homes have such devastating outbreaks of COVID-19? In my view, provincial and federal governments allowed the crisis to grow in long-term care homes and entrench so deeply that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a national tragedy for many vulnerable seniors and residents, their families, and their caregivers.
We don’t have time for more studies or commissions. Here in Ontario there are stacks of reports that tell us what needs to be done: more funding that is directly tied to providing care, increased staffing, proper protective equipment, and clear protocols on isolating those who are sick.
Most importantly, long-term care homes should be run as part of our publicly funded health care system. They shouldn’t operate on a for-profit basis by corporations that are more concerned with making money for their shareholders than they are with caring for those who live in the home.
We have the answers, we just need governments – federal and provincial – to work together to make them happen.
William Jones, Meaford
