Nationwide, long-term care facilities, primarily occupied by residents who are elderly or live with disabilities, are in deteriorating condition, says Assistant Professor Gillian Parekh at York University’s Faculty of Education, and Ryerson University’s Kathryn Underwood. But little has been done to actually address the organizational decisions that lead to these dangerous conditions. COVID-19 has exposed many inequities within Canada’s care systems.
“As governments and organizations re-imagine how care can be more effectively delivered, there are lessons to be learned from people who have navigated care and service systems before the global crisis began. People with disabilities and those who have experienced life in long-term care need to be at the forefront, leading and advising on systemic change.”