meadus argued the bill is going to be used to push patients to move to long-term care homes that are not meeting quality standards and that homes with staff shortages will be pressured to accept patients.
“long-term care homes are going to be pressured to take people they cannot provide care for.”
she also said she fears that under the bill, people will be forced into the community without being allowed to apply for long-term care based on an assessment that home care is more suitable.
“this is really problematic on so many levels.”
natalie mehra, who heads the ontario health coalition, said the health network is already hearing from families who are terrified their loved ones will be sent far away and be isolated from family, or to homes “that they know are terrible and they don’t want to go to.”
opposition politicians say the bill places the burden of the underfunded health-care system on the backs of the elderly and their families.
guidelines around the bill say language and culture should be a priority when placing patients in long-term care, but they note that related beds often have the longest wait lists.
meadus argued the bill does “what hospitals have been trying to do for a long time — trying to block people from applying for long-term care, trying to force people to go home or to retirement homes and trying to force family members to care for them.”