Peterborough long-term care workers attend ‘Time to Care Act’ rally at Queen’s Park

Dozens of long-term care workers from the Peterborough area took their demands for more “hands-on” care to Queen’s Park in Toronto on Tuesday.

They joined a rally by workers from around the province who want the Liberal government to pass the Time to Care Act before the provincial election in June.

Bill 33, the Time to Care Act, would require at least four hours a day of “nursing services and personal support services” for each resident.

“We’re hoping to get more hands-on care for our residents in long-term care,” said Andrea Legault, a 19-year long-term care worker from Peterborough, before boarding the bus to Toronto.

“They currently don’t have enough care.”

Legault says at many long-term care homes, staff have barely five to seven minutes to help each resident with their morning needs. She says staff no longer have time to help residents walk to the dining room for meals.

“It’s almost like residents are on a conveyor belt,” she said. “Staff have a checklist of tasks that need to be done and they literally run from resident to resident checking off the list. We’re not able to spend time with them on a human level.

“This no way for our seniors to spend their final years.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This no way for our seniors to spend their final years."

Bill 33 received all-party support at second reading in November, but Legault says long-term care workers want the government to now bring it forward for a final reading.

WATCH BELOW: Time to Care Act Bill 33 praised in Peterborough

1:38 Time to Care Act Bill 33 praised in Peterborough

“We’re all trying our best, but the standards for our elderly in this province are just sad,” she said. “These are the people who worked all their lives building and caring for our communities. They deserve to live with dignity in their final home. They deserve better.”