IMPORTANT ISSUE FLAGGED ON CANADA’S “NATIONAL SENIORS DAY”
Canada (October 3, 2019) – Each year, October 1st is set aside to recognize the important contributions of Canadian seniors. Canada’s National Seniors Day coincides with the United Nations’ International Day of Older Persons, and it gives us all an opportunity to pay tribute to the seniors who have helped to build our communities, our country, and our families.
This year’s National Seniors Day coincides with Canada’s 43rd general federal election. And while the Canadian Association of Long-Term Care (CALTC) is pleased to see that the needs of seniors are front and centre for every major party in this election cycle, thus far seniors living in long-term care continues to be ignored by federal policy makers.
“I have seen firsthand the contributions seniors have made in my community and in communities across Canada,” says CALTC Chair Jodi Hall. “National Seniors Day is an amazing opportunity for us to say thank you to those closest to us and ensure their golden years truly are golden.
“When it comes to long-term care, however, we are hearing from seniors and their family members right across the country that the parties are missing the mark.”
Earlier this year CALTC invited all 338 MPs to visit a care home in their riding this year. In the end, only 28 actually took the time to do so.
“When only 8 per cent of MPs show up, it sends a message to seniors and their overburdened family caregivers that they don’t matter,” says Hall.
In June, the all-party House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA) released recommendations this summer for government to invest in long-term care infrastructure and develop a pan-Canadian strategy on health human resources.
“We were optimistic that the parties finally understood the crisis in seniors care is happening right now. So far, however, the party platforms do not include any focus on seniors living in long-term care.”
A HESA committee report released last June on addressing violence facing healthcare workers made two key recommendations:
- That the Government of Canada work with the provinces and territories to address staffing shortages in health care settings by updating the Pan-Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy to reflect the health care needs of seniors, the well-being of health care providers and the shift towards community-based care. (Recommendation 8)
- That the Government of Canada expand its Invest in Canada Plan to provide targeted funding to upgrade existing long-term care facilities and other health care infrastructure to better meet the needs of patients through public-private partnerships. (Recommendation 9)
This month CALTC is launching an awareness campaign to bring attention to what hundreds of thousands of Canadians are keenly aware of — our population is aging, demand for healthcare is rising, our infrastructure is not keeping up, and there are not enough workers to meet demand.
“We know Canadians care about seniors, and we know that overwhelmingly seniors get out to vote,” says Hall. “We have to hope that before Election Day that if the parties expect to form government, they must do a better job when it comes to supporting seniors.”
With this in mind, CALTC is calling on all federal candidates to support two key recommendations for Canadian seniors:
- Address the seniors’ care labour crisis through the development of a federal health human resource strategy, support international students in finding employment in long-term care, and invest in data and innovation.
- Invest in seniors’ housing where care is provided by expanding federal infrastructure funding to include long-term care and commit to funding new long-term care residences.
CALTC and its provincial association members across the country have been working with all federal parties to make seniors living in long-term care a priority this election and we look forward to working further with decision makers to provide the best possible care to Canada’s seniors.
To learn more about this special day and its history as well as events and resources in your area, visit: www.canada.ca/seniors.
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About Canadian Association of Long-Term Care
CALTC is a national organization comprised of provincial associations and long-term care providers that deliver publicly funded health care services for seniors across Canada. CALTC members also represent care providers delivering home support services and care for younger disabled adults.
For more information on CALTC, visit www.caltc.ca.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ian Chesney
Ian.Chesney@caltc.ca
Cell 647-453-0173
