On Tuesday July 17, 2018, I received an email from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) asking me to send a letter to my local government officials to support the CMA’s call for improved seniors care.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent to advocate for better seniors care:
The letter was sent to:
Fin Donnelly (MP New Westminster—Coquitlam)
John Horgan (Premier of British Columbia)
Bill Morneau, Finance Minister
As you prepare to meet with your fellow premiers in New Brunswick this month, I’m asking that you focus on the evolving health care needs of our seniors and families affected by the growing prevalence of dementia.
I’m one of the 65,000-plus supporters from across Canada who’s joined the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) in its call for improved seniors care.
In my role as a Canadian Dementia Consultant, I’ve seen firsthand how our health care system is struggling to provide the support that’s needed by so many families affected by dementia. Families are having to wait far too long for appropriate long-term care and are not able to receive proper home care services.
In many cases because of early yet difficult dementia symptoms, the individual/family is not yet qualified to receive Government support even though the family is struggling! Case managers are not “allowed” to get creative to support those who are affected by “anosognosia”. (Those who don’t think there is anything wrong with them!) Therefore the individual with dementia is refusing care/support thus causing the primary caregiver increased amounts of stress with no support for what to do in the meantime. Often families are going without support or needing to pay for private home care which is not always something they can afford. Resulting in both emotional and financial distress for these families.
Where are the Government supports available for caregivers (24/7) to receive help with coaching on what to say or do when the person they are caring for exhibits difficult dementia-related behaviours?? Who coaches the family when the person with dementia expresses anosognosia such as refusing to give up their licence, won’t bath or shower for months or won’t go see their family doctor?? Who comes into the home to help coach these caregivers since they are often not able to leave the home because of the need for 24 hour supervision or if the person with dementia will not allow them to leave their side??
Having these available Government supports and more caregiver support (either 1-1 or group support) will help both individuals to remain living healthy at home for as long as possible. I have seen this positive result occur from the private services that I offer. I have been doing so since 2010 and had expected to only fill this gap for a short time with high hopes the Government will step in. I have to admit, that after almost 9 years later there still is no improvement or plan to fulfill this need. I can’t do this alone.
Until proper support becomes available, these families are struggling at home in isolation and run the risk of health decline, such as experiencing depression and/or suffering from abuse (both sides). Or they are left waiting in hospital for next steps which can increase agitation for the individual with dementia resulting in excess use of anti-psychotic medications by hospital staff and therefore induce a major decline in their abilities – which could have been avoided. Hospitals aren’t the best places for seniors to be, especially those with dementia. Delirium becomes a major concern. Without sufficient affordable home care support, caregiver support or available and affordable long-term care options (with ideal living conditions for those with dementia) in their community, hospitals are often the only place available to go.
Overall in my opinion, many seniors and families affected by dementia are not getting the kind of care they need, our health care dollars aren’t being spent efficiently, there aren’t the ideal services available for those with complex needs relating to dementia care and on top of this and general wait times are increasing across the board.
That’s why I’m supporting the CMA’s call for new funding from the Federal Government by means of a demographic top-up to the Canada Health Transfer to improve our health care system so provinces and territories are better equipped to meet the needs of seniors and those with dementia. We can do better!!
Better seniors care will mean better care for all, including the family caregivers. I encourage you to talk to your colleagues about how new funding for seniors care and dementia care is the important first step.
Feel free to reach out to me for more solution ideas on how to support this demographic and their families to make a positive change here in Canada.
Warm regards,
Karen Tyrell
Dementia Consultant & Educator
You can send your own advocacy letter by visiting here: https://www.demandaplan.ca/take-action
