Manitoba should prioritize long-term care: Probe survey

Fixing long-term care should be the provincial government’s highest priority, according to a new poll from Probe Research.

The survey was conducted after the COVID-19 outbreak at Parkview Place but before last weekend’s reported troubles at Maples Long Term Care Home.

The poll also shows public confidence in the quality of long-term care has dropped by 13 points since August, and nearly half of Manitobans feel that the province should step in and take over the operation of care homes dealing with serious outbreaks.

The COVID-19 situation in some local care homes has become dire, with Winnipeg mayor Brian Bowman encouraging military involvement, and with homicide investigators looking into whether residents received adequate care at Maples Personal Care Home or if there was a failure to provide the necessities of life.

According to the results of the survey, women and older Manitobans were more likely to request provincial intervention, and only one-third of all respondents felt confident that a loved one would receive adequate care in a long-term home in the province.

These results come as Manitoba announced tough new restrictions in an attempt to slow down the quickly spreading virus.

The entire province moves to Level Red, or critical, on Thursday, limiting interactions outside of immediate households and shuttering non-essential businesses — aside from curbside pickup or delivery scenarios.

1:28 Families of those at Maples Personal Care Home say company wasn’t forthcoming with information, demand answers