Patricia Marsden-Dole
Councillor Catherine McKenney hosted 1000 guests on May 6 for a virtual meeting on long-term care (LTC).
Only the week before, Ontario’s Long-Term Care Commission released a scathing report on the current state of LTC facilities in the province. McKenney referred to the report’s recommendations 58 and 59 which call for more home care support to replace the current dependence on a medical model of institutional care.
André Picard, a Globe and Mail columnist on health issues, was the keynote speaker at the meeting. He recently published a book on LTC, Neglected No More. He referred to the endless provincial reports on the poor state of institutional care for elderly residents in LTC facilities and noted that most are owned and managed by for-profit owners who report to private investors. He argued for changing the philosophy of LTC, saying that a focus away from institutional medical management to one which honours the social, emotional, and intellectual lives of elderly residents is needed.
Picard’s emphasis on care of the whole person was echoed by Moira Welsh, a reporter for the Toronto Star, whose 2021 book, Happily Ever Older explores novel approaches to elder care, including the butterfly model for LTC homes.
Butterfly homes realize that people later in their lives need colour, humour, music, sport, social events, and intellectual stimulation just as much as younger people–all accompanied by warm human relationships.
This model has been incorporated by The Glebe Centre, whose director of resident services, Susan Zorz, also spoke at the meeting.
Journalist Mohammed Adam emphasized that this model requires an investment by management and funding agencies in training staff to see, experience, learn and be rewarded for an environment which focuses on the emotional well-being of the elderly person.
McKenney closed the meeting by emphasizing the need for a transformative culture change in elder care, from a costly model which is not working, to one which offers more support for a richer, well-rounded life.