Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
June 09, 2020 - 7:30 AM
A Nanaimo group fighting for the rights of seniors has started a campaign to have the federal government create national standards for long term care homes.
The petition is being coordinated by the Seniors in Care Crises group, although it is credited to one of its members, Penny MacCourt.
“COVID-19 has exposed degradation of care to seniors and instability of the workforce,” it says. “Privatization and deregulation have eroded the care seniors receive.”
The group is trying to get people from across the country to sign between now and July 3.
Along with a call for the federal government to regulate care homes it’s also advocating for the end of “profit-making by government-funded” facilities, standardizing wages and benefits, requiring employees to work at only one site, implement strong enforcement and penalties along with requiring independent family councils.
The petition was launched June 3 and has almost 700 signatures to date.
READ MORE: Seniors advocates are pushing for permission to visit loved ones in long term care homes
Fear of retaliation keeping people from speaking about issues in B.C.'s long-term care homes
The petition can be signed here.
The Seniors in Care Crises website is here.
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