Suggestions offered to help those in long-term care during the pandemic

For years, families and advocates have been speaking about issues in long-term care homes and the ongoing pandemic has brought many of those issues to the forefront.

On Tuesday night, Sudbury MPP NDP Jamie West hosted a virtual town hall to discuss the topic of long-term care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's something Terry Martyn is familiar with. His wife lives at Pioneer Manor in Sudbury and he's co-chair of the family council there.

Until last week, indoor visits were prohibited at long-term care facilities in Ontario. Residents can now see visitors, with restrictions.

Martyn says people are relieved those indoor visits have started.

"Even before that occurred, when we had virtual visits or visits at the window, family members started to see a decline in their loved ones," he said.

"We were hearing this from all over the province, not just one long-term care home."

He says family members started reporting their loved ones were becoming less vocal, losing weight and more confused.

Martyn says the family council has a good relationship with the management at Pioneer Manor, adding they are "cooperative, forthright and open."

'Regional approach' needed

However, Martyn says there are still improvements to be made. He says that needs to start with the province not using the same policies to address problems at all nursing homes.

"We know that throughout the whole province that COVID hit some areas more severely than others," he said.

"What needs to be improved? A more regional approach to decision making."

He adds nursing homes should also allow residents to have a designated care person, someone who would be allowed to visit the home at any time with appropriate precautions.

"Unless there is an outbreak that is a crisis, I think the care person should be allowed in whenever they want," he said.

While COVID-19 numbers are continuing to go down in Ontario, Martyn says now is the time to think about the possibility of a second wave and what that would mean for residents in long-term care.

"Residents cannot go through another four months of lockdown," he said. "I think that would be devastating."

'Far more complex'

The problems being talked about in long-term care homes are something Maria Casas is aware of. She's a registered nurse who has worked in both non-profit and for-profit long-term care homes.

Casas says more staff would be beneficial.

"COVID has certainly drawn attention to the problems that we're having, but they're not new, they've been around for awhile," she said.

She adds long-term care homes don't receive enough funding to provide proper service.

"The residents we're seeing now in long-term care are far more complex than even those that we saw 20 years ago," she said.

"The funding model has evolved, but not enough to keep up."