Susan Walsh says any reduction in the availability of single occupancy rooms in long-term care homes is a regressive policy approach.
NL’s Seniors Advocate has written to the Health Minister about the department’s announcement of doubling up on beds at the Long Term Care Centre in Corner Brook. The Health department issued a news release on October 25th that 15 single occupancy rooms would be changed to double occupancy. Although, in the House of Assembly yesterday, Premier Andrew Furey said they’ve “put the stop to that.” The Seniors’ Advocate adamantly opposes the conversion of single occupancy rooms in long-term care homes to double occupancy. Susan Walsh says any reduction in the availability of single occupancy rooms in long-term care homes is a regressive policy approach. She says her office has spent the past week reviewing this matter including meeting with representatives from Government and NL Health Services, and correspondence with seniors on the west coast. Walsh says during Covid, visitation was reduced but where there is double occupancy, if one person is ill the oher can’t have visitors. She says they’ve asked the Health Minister to focus on three areas including recommendations from their report, “What Golden Years” that would make home support more financially accessible and recommendations from the Health Accord. As well, Walsh says we must have provincial Long Term Care Legislation to protect the best interests of seniors living in long-term care.