Why this issue is so important and why it matters
Imagine yourself having made it to long-term care. Perhaps you’ve never imagined this at all. Stay with me here. I appreciate that this can be uncomfortable, but imagine yourself there, in a long-term care facility. And you are trusting a family member to care for you, or you have legally assigned a family member the duty of care to look out for you and keep you safe. I imagine you would feel assured that your care and safety would be looked after.
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Now imagine something happening, like our present pandemic, that exposes systemic problems within your long-term care facility, drawing them out into the public eye. And that these systemic problems are negatively impacting you. Perhaps you are a vulnerable elder with a disability or dementia, relying fully on someone else to care for you; but, because you have your loved one overseeing your care, advocating for you, assisting with your physical care, supporting your disabilities and mental well-being, and ensuring your safety, these systemic problems are lessened because of their loving care.​
​Now imagine that suddenly this entrusted family member just stops coming. Might you feel a profound sense of abandonment because you cannot understand why your family member is no longer caring for you daily? How would you feel about this caring family member being denied access to you by the very same system that has these systemic problems? Might this make you feel unprotected and even scared?
Why, you might ask, would a family member be denied essential visitor access? Good question.
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Now imagine that your advocate is told that the reason for denial is this: “there was an assessment undertaken by the responsible Care Team. Your loved one does not have an essential need for visits. Their care needs are met by the care staff.”
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Might you feel that you were being denied the very circumstances that have been keeping you cared for and safe in long-term care ― your family advocate?