Ontario's Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Final Report
Par Sam Peck
As anticipated, the Honourable Frank N. Marrocco, Angela Coke, and Dr. Jack Kitts, Commissioners of Ontario’s Independent Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission, submitted their final report to the Minister of Long-Term Care the evening of April 30, 2021.
Family Councils Ontario is pleased to review the final report which captures the widespread tragedy that took place across the province in many long-term care homes. Our organization had the honor of speaking with the commission in-depth about the concerns and experiences of family caregivers and home staff as they navigated unprecedented times. We also played an integral role in coordinating group meetings for the commission to hear from families and loved ones of those in LTC to better articulate the personal impacts of COVID-19 in the homes and to identify recommendations for preventing and minimizing impacts in the future.
Our mission as an organization is to lead and support families as they advocate for a better quality of life LTC residents in Ontario. We are optimistic that the insights and recommendations by the commission will assist in identifying and proactively resolving gaps in the long-term care sector. Specifically, we welcome the Commission’s call to promote and fund person-centred models of care. We look forward to working with the government and sector stakeholders, including families & Family Councils, on the implementation of the 85 recommendations and the ongoing work on the Long-Term Care Staffing Plan.
We extend our gratitude to the commission, our sector partners, LTC staff, and dedicated family caregivers for using their platforms and voices to further protect and support our residents.