Quebec ombudswoman calls for review of long-term care model after COVID-19 deaths

Quebec’s ombudswoman is calling for a vast overhaul of the way the province cares for elderly people.

Marie Rinfret issued the recommendation in her highly critical report tabled today on the government’s management of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the spring of 2020.

She concludes government officials took a “hospital-centric’’ approach to preparing for the pandemic and neglected the danger posed to long-term care homes despite the fragility of their residents.

The report paints a picture of a health system that was thrown into chaos, resulting in improvised decisions, confusion around staffing, and a failure to properly apply directives.

Almost 4,000 people died in longterm care homes between February and June 2020, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the deaths reported in Quebec during the first wave.

Rinfret’s 27 recommendations include adopting of a risk assessment and management policy in long-term care homes, creating

a detailed plan for infection prevention and control measures, and rethinking how the province provides living spaces for the elderly.