Wouldn’t it be great if we just had more time: Holland
Wednesday March 5, 2008 -- Camille Jensen
Robin Holland, administrator at Streamway Villa, says long-term care homes need more funding to properly address staffing issues.

Holland says there are new challenges to providing resident care that need to be addressed through long-term care funding. Medical issues can be more complex than in previous times and residents are often entering long-term care at a later age and with more problems. 

The Cobourg long-term care home deals with some residents who require dual types of care, having both physical and mental illnesses. Long-term care homes are also acquiring younger residents with mental illnesses that may require extra care. 

Holland’s comments are addressed towards Ontario’s new budget, which will be released later this month. Streamway Villa and other member homes of the Ontario’s Long-Term Care Association (OLTCA) recently participated in a postcard campaign advocating for an increase in funding. OLTCA says homes need an extra $513 million to meet staffing and supply needs in long-term care.

The extra $513 million would increase resident time with personal support workers by 24 minutes a day. The extra time would help PSWs like Dawn Shaw who are often behind when completing their daily duties.

Shaw says she often feels rushed when trying to get all the residents up and bathed in the mornings. Other things can also happen in the course of a day, which can put pressing time constraints on her schedule.

On one occasion, Shaw says a resident suffered a stroke and required care from two PSWs. The incident meant that Shaw was 20 minutes behind in her morning duties.

Increased funding would help the home add staff who could spend time doing extra activities with residents.

“The staff do an amazing job but there isn’t a lot of time left over to do the extra things,” says Holland.

She says staff members often stay after their shift to read or talk with a resident. Holland says it is important to remember that residents need to feel comfortable in their homes 

“These people have given a lot over the years, they've lived through wars and terrible hardships like the Depression. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just give them more time.”

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