Home care clients decry state of service, WRHA asks for patience

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This article was published 08/10/2020 (1832 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For months, Mary Capri’s bedsheets went unwashed, her floors unscrubbed, her carpets unvaccuumed.

More than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the 70-year-old retired teacher is among Manitobans — many of whom are already housebound — still waiting for word on when their home care services will resume.

“I don’t want to cause trouble, but I just think it’s unfair that I’m getting older each day, and watching more bad, sad things on the TV, and you’re wondering, ‘Well, does anybody care about the seniors?’” Capri said.

Essential personal care services — such as doling out medication, bathing and helping people get dressed — are still running, but house cleaning duties within Manitoba’s home care program were suspended in mid-March.

Capri, who uses a walker, and has severe arthritis and tendonitis, has been receiving weekly baths and has had her bedsheets laundered twice in the past six months. She said she knows others in similar situations, some of whom don’t have families to help with household chores.

Capri said she understands dealing with the novel coronavirus is the priority, but she feels seniors who rely on home care have been left out of the provincial government’s messaging.

“They’re certainly talking about people that are very sick with COVID, which they should be doing, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that. But I also think they should take care of those of us who are still trying to live.”

In a statement Thursday, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority acknowledged Manitoba’s COVID-19 response has affected home care services, and expressed gratitude for clients’ patience.

“At this time, the WRHA is working to maximize community resources to support COVID-19 testing efforts and our overall COVID-19 response. This work has had some impact on home care resources, resulting in a pause in our plans to resume previous levels of service,” the statement reads in part.

“We continue to work hard to meet the needs of our clients and their families while balancing the need to support the region’s COVID-19 response efforts.”

The WRHA didn’t answer questions about how many Manitobans have experienced interruptions in home care services or how it will determine when those services will resume. Instead, a spokeswoman said clients should contact their home care case co-ordinator if they have questions.

In its throne speech Wednesday, the provincial government promised to enhance home care options, introduce digital home care and provide “increased access to flexible, self-directed care funding” for seniors.

That’s “code for increased privatization,” said Brianne Goertzen, head of the Manitoba Health Coalition, a non-profit that pushes for expansion of universal public health care.

“Which means older adults will be trying to seek services on their own with limited resources. I think the current state of home care is not what it should be — especially during the pandemic when older adults still need care and still need to have folks visiting them to receive that care.”

Meanwhile, the union representing home care workers said it is “very concerned” the province may be considering privatizing the program, and a lack of personal protective equipment for employees.

“My home care workers work incredibly hard, and for them to hear this is a threat to their jobs. Home care workers treat their clients like family; they are certified and love the work they do. With the stress of COVID, the government should not be considering privatizing home care,” Debbie Boissonneault, president of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 204, wrote in an email to the Free Press.

Lisa Tarko, 62, was a home care worker for 20 years before she began needing home care herself because of severe respiratory problems that require her to be on oxygen.

She decided to put her services on hold during the pandemic out of fear of contracting COVID-19, but requested help with bathing early in the day, before her fatigue sets in.

“They say they could not find anybody to provide service for me, and that was in July, and that’s with a doctor’s note,” Tarko said. She said she’s heard from others — workers and clients — who are frustrated with the state of home care, and suspects the province will move to privatize it, as it tried to do in the 1990s.

“I think they’re trying to cut services, and pushing people more towards self-managed care,” Tarko said.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay