Nickel Belt MPP demands Health Minister reunite elderly Sudbury couple in long term care

Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas has renewed hope that an elderly Sudbury couple can soon be reunited.

During Question Period at Queen's Park on Tuesday, Gelinas spoke about Gottfried and Hildegard Adler.

Hildegard, 88, is in Health Sciences North waiting to be placed in long term care with her husband. Gottfried, 91, is living at Finlandia, a long term care home in Sudbury. They have been separated since August 2017.

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Gelinas, who is also the NDP Health Critic, asked Health Minister Eric Hoskins to help the couple with spousal reunification.

She says the Adler family have tried appealing to the Local Health Integration Network, the hospital and case coordinators, but they have been told that those in crisis are at the top of the waiting list for long term care placements.

There are about nine couples in the Sudbury area who are waiting to be reunited in long term care.

Gelinas says she wants the ministry to take into account the impact on mental health when elderly couples are separated from their partner due to constraints in the system.

"Don't tell me that they are safe. They are not safe. There is no health without mental health," she said. 

"Their mental health is at risk right now because they are not able to be together and they are worried about one another. Take that into account so that they get put onto the crisis list."

Hoskins says as of last fall, each long term care home in the province is now required to set aside specific beds for spousal reunification.

"I would hope that the member [Gelinas] ...would work together with me as some of her colleagues have, on this specific case, to see if they can now take advantage of a system of a law and regulations specifically set up to aid in this very challenging situation," Hoskins responded in Question Period.

"We have an opportunity here. This has nothing to do with crisis designation. This is in response to many many stakeholders and families coming forward and us finding a way to create a better system," he added.

Although Hoskins didn't give a timeline, Gelinas says the Minister of Health agreed to help with the Adler's situation.

"I don't want to give anybody false hope. It's not done. I don't want to pretend that it is. But at least we have the Minister of Health pulling in the same direction now."

Gelinas adds that families should not have to resort to taking their plight to the media or to their local MPPs to try to get elderly parents reunified in long term care.

"We have to find a way for the system to show that it cares. Couples who have been married for a long time, who want to be together should be together, then lets get it done," Gelinas says. 

Gelinas says she will be following up with staff at the Ministry of Health in the hopes of finding a way forward for the Adlers.