Improving personal care homes

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/12/2019 (2360 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

During my time as MLA for River Heights, I have heard many truly concerning stories from people with family members in personal care homes that I will be writing a report to be released in the spring.   

On Nov. 23, I hosted a forum at the River Heights Community Centre that I co- emceed with Cindy Lamoureux, MLA for Tyndall Park, which focused on improving care and preventing tragedies in Manitoba’s personal care homes. 

We looked at what a tragedy is in such a home. Tragedies include fires and falls where a hip is broken or a head is injured. Tragedies also include when a family member is not allowed to visit their loved one in the personal care home, or when a person dies in a home unhappy and angry about the quality of care they received. 

We had four excellent panelists at the forum. Connie Newman, executive director of the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres, emphasized the importance of having someone who is an effective advocate for care home residents. 

Michelle Gawronsky, president of MGEU, discussed staffing levels. The care needs of residents are much greater today than in 1986 — which I understand was the date of the last review of staffing levels in personal-care homes. 

Dolores Minkus-Hofley, whose husband is in a personal care home, talked of the need to improve staffing and training for personnel in personal care homes. 

Robert Rose Jr., son of former St. Vital MLA Bob Rose, spoke of the overuse of anti-psychotic medications for residents like his father.

The forum brought to light numerous disturbing concerns. There were also many suggestions for improvements. There is a need for a review of staffing levels and training requirements for those working in personal care homes in our province, as was emphasized at the forum and in a recent MARCHE report. Cindy Lamoureux also emphasized the need for a senior’s advocate to help families navigate the system and ensure their loved ones are well cared for.  

While some personal care homes are doing a good job, others are falling short. One suggestion for action is to better identify best practices in personal care homes that are doing a good job. The government can use these practices to improve personal care homes where there are shortcomings. We need to achieve a situation where all personal care homes in Manitoba can achieve excellence in empathetic, compassionate, culturally sensitive care with workers who are well-trained to look after those with varied health issues, including varied levels of dementia. 

We must do much better to avoid the tragedies, which result from falls, from family members not being able to visit their loved ones and from seniors who are unhappy during the final days and years of their life. Thank you to our panelists and to all who attended and contributed. 

If you are having difficulties with the care of your loved one call 204-945-5194 or email me (jon.gerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca) and I and my staff will do what we can to help. You can also help by signing our petition at http://chng.it/2JT8t2ZYSG

Including as many stories as possible in my report will ensure that together we can continue to push for improvements in personal care homes. I will continue to raise these issues publicly and in the Legislature.

Jon Gerrard

Jon Gerrard was Liberal MLA for River Heights from 1999 to 2023 and served as leader of the Liberal Party of Manitoba from 1998 to 2013.

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