CLAC Pickets to Demand More Time for Seniors Care

DATE: February 07, 2011

Chatham, ON—CLAC members who work in long term care will form information pickets this Friday at long term care homes in Sarnia, Paris, Owen Sound, and St. Catharines to protest the Ontario government’s failure to provide enough funding to allow seniors 3.5 hours of personal care each day.

CLAC, which represents over 4,000 long term care workers in the province, is leading a public support campaign to increase patient care by 42 minutes a day to 3.5 hours per day. The campaign includes demonstrations, a petition, and a website (www.atimetocare.ca).

“It’s unacceptable that tens of thousands of seniors in Ontario long term care homes go without personal, professional care for 21.2 hours a day,” says Trish Douma, CLAC’s Ontario health coordinator and southwestern Ontario regional director. “They’ve sacrificed for us their entire lives. Surely we can afford 3.5 hours for them.

“The Ontario government has wasted millions on things such as eHealth. We say to them—whatever it takes to increase funding, make it happen. We demand it, those who care for the elderly demand it, and, most importantly, our seniors deserve it.”