Quality of life for seniors is missing

 I am a bit upset over the issue of visit restrictions for long-term care and assisted living seniors. In November 2020, the Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA) issued the report Staying Apart to Stay Safe: The Impact of Visit Restrictions on Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Survey, which highlighted the impact of visitor restrictions on residents and their family members. In this report, OSA identified that 52% of requests made by residents to designate an essential visitor were denied. The Seniors Advocate issued the recommendation in this report that all residents be provided with the opportunity to designate an essential visitor. However, the reality is that most are not receiving any visitors.

The Press has been, over the last few days, focussing its attention on the issue of students going back to school and ignoring the cruel and unusual punishment against seniors who are being held in isolation. There is plenty of research that shows isolation is dangerous to seniors' health and wellness, yet the problem is being ignored by the media. This is a form of institutional ageism that exists in our country.

Current public health orders (January 2022) allow essential visitors to continue to visit if an outbreak is declared at a facility while social visitors’ access is suspended for the duration of the outbreak. Prior to visiting, all visitors to the long-term care facility must be fully vaccinated and rapid antigen tests are administered. It is now 2022 and to date, no changes have been made to the process for determining if a resident meets the criteria to be designated an essential visitor. The determination is made by the administrator of the care facility on a case-by-case basis. Essentials visits can include, but are not limited to:

•        Visits for compassionate care, including critical illness, palliative care, hospice care, end of life, and Medical Assistance in Dying

•        Visits paramount to the patient/client’s physical care and mental well-being, including assistance with feeding, mobility, and personal care

•        Communication assistance for persons with hearing, visual, speech, cognitive, intellectual or memory impairments

•        Assistance by designated representatives for persons with disabilities

•        Visits for supported decision making

“The Senior Advocate is receiving phone calls and emails from family members, including spouses, who were advised they could no longer visit their loved one, even though they offer vital support and care. They help to feed their loved ones, get them dressed, take them for walks, and keep them engaged. For many residents, these visitors are the only people who can motivate them to engage in any activities, and yet they are not formally recognized as essential,” stated Mackenzie.

The measure to protect seniors from COVID is at the expense of a positive lifestyle and I fear for many seniors it will mean a shortened life expectancy. It is unfair and discriminatory to say the least, and will not change well we focus on protecting seniors with no regard for what that means to their quality of life.