Hampton blasts government over Long Term Care placements

Submitted by
Howard Hampton, MPP

QUEEN’S PARK – During Question Period at the Legislative Assembly, Kenora—Rainy River NDP MPP Howard Hampton raised the troubling case of an elderly Fort Frances resident who has been offered a long-term care bed in Terrace Bay, 550 kilometres from her home.
Here’s the transcript of the exchange between Hampton and Health Minister Deb Matthews:
Mr. Howard Hampton: My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Mrs. S is a senior from Fort Frances and she currently has a respite care bed at Rainycrest Home for the Aged in Fort Frances. Two weeks ago, she received a letter from the North West Community Care Access Centre, telling her that a long-term-care bed is open to her in Terrace Bay. Terrace Bay is 550 kilometres, or seven hours, away from Fort Frances where her family and friends reside. My question is this: Is this the McGuinty Liberals’ idea of quality long-term care for Ontario seniors? Send them 550 kilometres—seven hours—away from their family and friends?
Hon. Deborah Matthews: Of course not. What I will do is undertake to look into this particular case. I do recall that some time ago the member opposite brought forward a case. When we actually looked into it, we discovered that the story was slightly different. So what I will do is undertake again to look into this particular case. But of course, people who are in long-term care need to be close to the people who love them—their family members, their friends, their community. So I will undertake to look at this particular case.
As we are working to build capacity in long-term care, as we are looking to strengthen community supports so that people don’t have to go into long-term care, our focus is very much on services for the frailest and the seniors in our community. We will continue with that work and, as I say, I will happily look into this particular case.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?
Mr. Howard Hampton: The reality of this comes down to the government saying, “This isn’t happening,” but people continue to get these letters. People continue to be told, “If you want a long-term-care bed, you go 300 kilometres, you go 550 kilometres.” The McGuinty government tells one story here in question period, but then when seniors are desperate they get quite another message from officialdom. I simply want to ask the minister this—550 kilometres is the same as the distance from Toronto to Montreal. I don’t think the minister would tell people in Toronto, “If you want a long-term-care bed, go to Montreal.” I don’t think you would. . . .