CUPE calls for legislative support for bill aimed at improving long-term care

The New Democrat MPP for the Nickel Belt riding is calling for changes to how much care residents of long term care homes get each day.

France Gelinas is behind a private member's bill, called the Time to Care Act, that would mandate that each person in a long-term care facility get a minimum of four hours of care and attention by staff every day.

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"It makes their lives more respectful," she said at a press conference held in conjunction with the Canadian Union of Public Employees Thursday morning in Sudbury, Ont.

"It gives the people who are there to help them the time to do this in a way that is not always rushed."

CUPE is calling on the Ontario legislature to put the bill into law, challenging politicians to show "political will and a non-partisan approach," according to a press release issued by the union.

CUPE represents many health care workers in Sudbury and across the province. The union said that the majority of residents who would be impacted by the bill are more than 80 years old and have multiple chronic conditions, including dementia.

Long-term care staff supporting changes: CUPE

For the staff who work in long-term care homes, having a law that would guarantee they had enough time to spend with each patient is welcome, said a registered practical nurse in Sudbury.

JasonHarasymchuk sayseven by having just a few minutes more time each day to spend supporting and caring for residents would make a profound difference.

"And it would make such a difference on the morale of staff who work very hard during the little time they have now to complete tasks and provide care," he said.

"Family members need peace of mind knowing that their loved ones are safe and getting good care."

CUPE says the findings of a Canadian-led international research study,Promising Practices in Long-Term Care, show that better care quality hinges on promoting a care relationship between the resident and caregiver. And that requires adequate staff and an appropriate mix of staff.

CUPE says the study suggests"direct care staffing should be set at a minimum of 4.1 hours per resident each day."

The research also shows that, in countries with higher resident care and staffing levels, care quality is better, resident-on-resident violence is lower, as is the use of medications.