No shortcuts to decent care, Jan. 30
The Star has shown great leadership in exposing the longstanding public policy failure in long-term care in Ontario. But, it took a disappointing step backward in Saturday’s editorial by relieving the pressure on for-profit LTC operators.
For-profit institutions are to LTC what coal-fired electricity plants are to the fossil fuel industry. Large congregative care models, whether they are run by non-profits or municipalities, may have better life outcomes than for-profits. But, congregative care also fails to meet the needs of our dependent and frail seniors humanely, just as the fossil fuel industry inadequately responds to our climate-change crisis.
Just as we did with coal-fired plants, let’s get rid of the dirtiest part of LTC to begin with: for-profit operations.
For the true, long-term solution, let’s re-direct public investment to in-home and community-based care, supporting aging-in-place and small-scale non-profit and municipal programs!
The transition to community support may take time, but governments should set five- and ten-year targets for longer term success, and establish a more immediate timeframe for eliminating the for-profit model.
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