Personal support workers group not surprised by long-term care issues

A group representing personal support workers in Ontario says issues reported in long-term care homes in Thunder Bay are felt throughout the province.

CBC News recently reported on provincial inspections at long-term care homes, that pointed to understaffing and other issues at some local facilities.

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"[Personal support workers are] exhausted, they're frustrated, they feel like they can't do the job to the best of their abilities because of the chronic understaffing in these long term care facilities," said Miranda Ferrier, the president of the Ontario Personal Support Workers Association.

"They feel that they do their best everyday."

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Ferrier said understaffing is a chronic issue in most long-term care homes, with many members of the association saying it results in diminished resident care.

"I never worked a fully staffed shift. And, what you see with residents is they don't get that one-on-one contact, they don't get that interaction. Certain steps of the personal care are missed because the PSW doesn't really have the time."

Ferrier said there is no improvement to staffing on the horizon, with, in fact, the issue getting worse.

"I couldn't imagine a week without having a bath or a shower. I couldn't imagine sitting in a soiled incontinence product."

Ferrier said she wants the province to provide more funding for staffing in long-term care homes, not just "envelopes of funding" for items like painting a room, or buying chairs.

She said the burnout rate amongst PSWs is extremely high, and although there are numerous job opportunities, not every PSW wants to work in long-term care.

"It's a very unhealthy environment for people to be in."