Provinces trying to support more seniors to return home with supports
CBC News Nov 29, 2012
On any given day about five per cent of acute hospital beds are occupied by “alternate level care” patients and 85 per cent of them are seniors. Seniors are clogging our hospitals because they have nowhere to go. There are not enough long term care beds nor rehab beds. There is not enough money in the home care system to support them at home.
And for those with dementia, it’s even worse. Right now in Ontario, the system only funds 58 beds, out of a total of 78,000 for patients with specialized behavioural needs such as those who are aggressive or agitated as a result of a neurological conditions or dementia.
58 beds!!
It’s the same old story that has been going on since before my father was manhandled by the system starting in 1990. He was a ‘bed blocker’ after he suffered a series of strokes because there was no long term care bed available, so he waited in the hospital for 3 months. Fortunately he did not acquire a hospital superbug which has killed far too many seniors.
And let’s not even get started on medical ageism where healthcare workers commonly treat old people as though they don’t deserve the same care as younger Canadians.
The government continues to ignore these problems. What will it be like when you get there?
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. CONTACT YOUR MP. CONTACT THE PRESS. SPEAK UP.