Doctors for Justice in LTC

BREAKING: A group of physicians & researchers @Docs4LTCJustice & @CdnDrs4Medicare have sent a letter to all federal parties asking them to address the LTC crisis. 15,000 people died in LTC during the pandemic. The time for #LTCJustice is now! #Elxn44

A new analysis shows that Ontario’s LTC homes still lack accountability measures. Meanwhile, the government is spending $$$ to expand for-profit LTC homes with the worst COVID outcomes. A profit-driven system without accountability will continue to harm our vulnerable elders.

Dav Langstroth, a resident in an Ontario for-profit long-term care home, was forced to sit overnight in his own feces due to a lack of staff needed to change him. Dav had to go to the media to tell his story. Do you see how horrific understaffing in long-term care actually is?

First, they froze nursing wages so nurses quit en masse. Then, public hospitals had to rely way more on for-profit nursing agencies. Finally, they allowed for-profit nursing agencies to jack up the prices. This is how they're undermining our public healthcare system.

Hook - Palliative care is not about giving up on life. It's about living life to the fullest until the very end. Let's break down some common misconceptions about palliative care. 🧵👇 1/ Misconception: Palliative care is only for the dying. Reality: Regardless of life expectancy, palliative care can help anyone with a serious illness. It focuses on improving quality of life, managing symptoms, and providing emotional support. 2/ Misconception: Palliative care means stopping all other treatments. Reality: Palliative care can be given alongside curative treatments. It's about providing holistic care that addresses all aspects of a patient's well-being, including physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. 3/ Misconception: Palliative care is only for the elderly. Reality: Palliative care is for anyone with a serious illness, regardless of age. It can be helpful for young adults, children, and anyone facing a life-limiting illness. 4/ Misconception: Palliative care is depressing. Reality: Palliative care can actually improve a patient's mood and overall well-being. It provides support and comfort during difficult times and helps patients live life as fully as possible. Let's spread the word about the importance of palliative care and bust these myths. 💪

Did you know that nurses are quitting publicly funded hospitals and going back through private nursing agencies? This was Doug Ford's plan all along - freeze nurses' wages, make them quit, underfund public healthcare, and make privatization look like the answer. It's working....

Private agencies took advantage of COVID by ~doubling amount they charge hospitals/nursing hour. Now they are charging “surge“ pricing of $300/h. Why isn’t @fordnation standing up against predatory pricing ?

How has access to palliative care changed over the last 5 years in Canada? Who isn’t getting the palliative care they need? How can we improve palliative care? A thread….🙏🏽

Our own @NaheedD and @NPersaud5 and other palliative care leaders coauthored a publication on the impact of the Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program on supporting those experiencing homelessness in Toronto.

Since 2014, our PEACH (Palliative Education And Care for the Homeless) Program has compassionately cared for 1000+ unhoused people across the City of Toronto. What makes PEACH so impactful? Check out our new article in @LongwoodsNotes to learn more. 🙏🏽 longwoods.com/content/27055/…

Today, our palliative care team went to see a man labeled as ‘non-compliant’ & ‘difficult." We asked: “What is most important to you today?” He started crying. “No one ever asked before!" Patient centred care isn’t just jargon. When it happens, it changes lives.

.@CMA_Docs named @DrSamirSinha the 2023 Canadian Medical Association Award for Political Advocacy recipient for his work leading the NIA while shaping government policies on long-term care, caregiver support and vaccination. Congratulations Dr. Sinha! bit.ly/3oMHJLM

Demand for hospice care is rising. Inflation strains resources. It's crucial that all levels of government step up to ensure that this vital compassionate support is available to all Canadians who need it. #rightcareinrightplace loom.ly/gzbcYdI

Shouldn't nursing school be free? Thank you @BrittanyGlobal @globalnews for giving me the opportunity to shed some light on the need to RETAIN new grad nurses as they start their career. Without strategic retention, the future of nursing remains bleak. globalnews.ca/video/9650695/…

Today is a good day to make tuition free for nurses.

Quebec data shows that taxpayers pay way more for surgeries in private for-profit clinics compared to those done in the public system. Yet...Ontario is planning to outsource way more surgeries to private for-profit clinics. How is this “fiscally conservative?”

Yesterday's Ontario Today show asked if access to #LTC is getting better. Looks like it will get a lot worse. Thanks to @CBCOntarioToday and @AmitAryaMD for keeping LTC issues in the spotlight. cbc.ca/listen/live-ra…

Today, our palliative care team saw a terminally ill man experiencing homelessness. He was shocked to meet health workers who cared enough to visit him on the streets. Imagine the trauma a person has experienced to feel they aren't deserving of compassion. Just imagine. 💔

Early on in the pandemic, a single COVID-19 case at a care home constituted an outbreak. Now, with 13 residents at a Vancouver care home sick, there are no broad masking requirements, no declaration of an outbreak and sick and healthy still share rooms theglobeandmail.com/canada/british…

I was just interviewed by Global News. Guess what I said! Nursing school should be free.

New data from Quebec shows that surgeries in for-profit clinics cost the government up to 2.5 times more than in public facilities. It's even more proof that public healthcare saves us money. We must protect our public healthcare system at all costs.