Media Advisory - Peterborough, Lindsay hospital staff to protest the attack
on seniors' care

PETERBOROUGH, ON, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - Across Ontario, care for seniors is being compromised by a spate of hospital bed and program cuts and the transfer of elderly ill patients to sub-standard, unregulated care in retirement homes or to languish alone in their homes.

In Windsor, a 93 year old woman, who has two months to live, has been told to move out of the hospital or pay $600 a day to remain. She is the human face of elderly patients who are demeaned as "bed blockers."

In Scarborough, Providence Continuing Healthcare is cutting 120 beds a move that will adversely affect many programs including patient rehab, and palliative and chronic care.

In Sudbury, the Regional Hospital's Memorial site is closing—128 beds will be lost and frail seniors are being moved.

This pattern of hospital service cuts is happening across Ontario and services for the frail and the elderly are the primary target.

Across Ontario, home care is in chaos, with a 57% annual turnover of caregivers and with hours of care more and more difficult to access.

"We believe that the elderly are being discriminated against in the provision of care. Hospital, long- term care and home care workers have had enough of the attack on services for seniors. Our protest today is the beginning of our push back. We are asking for dignity in care for the elderly. We are asking for their right to spend their last days in palliative care in hospital. We demand an end to the pushing of the frail and the ill into unregulated retirement homes or to home alone," says Michael Hurley, the president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions.  

Rally information is as follows:

Friday, November 26, 2010 - Noon
McDonald Block - Bay and Wellesley (facing Bay Street)

Rally speakers include:

Paul Moist, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Arlene Patterson, Chair of the Sarnia Lambton Health Coalition, and hospital, long-term care and home care workers.

For further information:

Michael Hurley	President, OCHU/CUPE	[phone]
Stella Yeadon	CUPE Communications	[phone]