On March 16, 2020, Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that the province was moving to restrict visits in seniors’ care homes to essential visits. This decision was made to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care homes and assisted living residences, where residents are most vulnerable to adverse outcomes due to their age and chronic health issues.
Three and a half months later, B.C.’s Ministry of Health would announce that restrictions on visits in long-term care homes and assisted living residences would be relaxed and residents could have a single designated visitor in specific visiting areas.
While the swift action on this issue has been celebrated as a key factor in B.C.’s efforts to “flatten the curve” and mitigate infection rates amongst B.C.’s long-term care and assisted living residents, the impacts on residents’ well-being cannot be ignored.
Family visits have been one of the most challenging issues that the seniors’ care sector has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the value of visitors, particularly care partners, is undebatable, the difficulties of balancing quality of life with resident and staff safety has posed a significant ethical dilemma for the province to grapple with. This dilemma is not dissimilar to that being felt across the country, and in many other jurisdictions across the world.
Join Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of the national seniors’ advocacy organization, CanAge, as she discusses how B.C. responded to this issue, what we learned, and how we move forward.
What can you expect from Tamblyn Watts? An energetic, creative and informed approach fueled by a driving passion for seniors’ advocacy.
Keynote: Family Visits: An Ethical Dilemma| Laura Tamblyn Watts | President and CEO, CanAge
September 22, 2020
11:30 am – 12:30 pm PST
NOTE: If you had registered for the cancelled Whistler conference please contact cora@bccare.ca to process a refund. You must complete a separate registration to participate in the virtual event.
