Province failing seniors, NDP says
Health minister under fire after blaming doctors for drugs used in nursing homes
Health Minister Deb Matthews will fail our seniors if she does not fix the disturbing level of antipsychotic medications being given in provincially regulated nursing homes, said NDP health critic France Gélinas.
A Star investigation published this week found nursing homes are drugging helpless seniors despite warnings that the powerful antipsychotics can kill elderly patients suffering from dementia.
In the wake of the article — which revealed some long-term care homes, often struggling with staffing shortages, are routinely doling out these risky drugs to calm and “restrain” wandering, agitated and sometimes aggressive patients — Matthews came under fire for suggesting doctors, and not the province, are responsible. “It is deeply concerning that the minister would rather point fingers than take a leadership role and face this growing crisis,” Gélinas said during question period in the legislature. “The use of antipsychotics as chemical restraints is not because physicians don’t know better. It is because of systemic problems. “The minister is in charge of our health-care system. Therefore she is the one in charge of fixing the problem, not failing our seniors,” Gélinas said. Matthews responded by defending her ministry’s investments in more nurses and Behavioural Supports Ontario — a program designed to help nursing homes treat people with dementia without drugs. “I accept full responsibility, and we are working collectively within the health-care system to deal with this issue.” She later told the Star, “Is there more we need to do? Yes there is. Are we doing it? Are we focused on this? Absolutely. The full impact of this work is just beginning. It’s urgent. I understand that. I will continue to improve quality of care.” The Star’s investigation found that at more than 40 homes across the province, roughly half the residents are on the drugs. At close to 300 homes, more than a third of the residents are on the drugs. Nurses and long-term care homes have told the Star the province can do more to boost training and staffing levels at nursing homes.
Wayne Legere, who has worked as a registered practical nurse at Chester Village home since 2006, told the Star that nursing homes need more funding and more staffing.
“Is the (ministry) not supposed to be aligned with us, to help us? They waited too long to deal with a population that is now going to eat up a huge amount of funding. I want to know what they’re going to do about that.”
Gélinas said the health minister could order a probe or strike a panel to investigate the problem.
Matthews said the 600 people working Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) are starting to make a difference.
“I would far more rather spend money on BSO than on drugs,” she told the Star.