A chance to recast long-term care

I am a retired nurse with two decades of experience working in long-term care homes, which included holding the position of director of care and being a board member of the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils.

For nine years, my husband and I were residents together in a long-term care home. Fortunately, the home we chose is one of the best is Ontario, and my husband received excellent care until his death last summer. I remain a resident and feel well qualified to offer an opinion on the present state of care homes in Ontario.

The most important aspect of a care home has to be the quality of life it offers to its residents. This will be generated by the top administrative staff and permeate through every department. It may sound mundane, but this culture must be based on a passion for the job. There must be a genuine love for the job, palpable and in plain sight.

Sometimes a tragic event, such as the Wettlaufer murders, can be the catalyst that brings about much-needed changes. Could this be such a moment for long-term care homes?

Dorothy Asselstine, Cornwall