​Health and Long-Term Care Reform: will anything ever change?

​For three years I have written these columns.  For over a decade prior to that, informed people in the health and long-term care system had been calling for reform of major elements that they believe to be broken.  The pandemic has underscored what should have been obvious to policy-makers long ago:  the health and long-term care systems show serious signs of weakness bordering on collapse.

For some readers, reform means doctor and nurse shortage; with others it is the dreaded 10-12 hour waits in the Emergency Department.  For others, it is “why do we need two health authorities?”  In rural areas, it is removing the constant threat of closing local health services.  With many it is ensuring that the ambulance system is able to respond consistently within a reasonable time.
​
Dealing with loved ones with Dementia amidst a system that is hard to navigate is another concern frequently voiced in animated terms.

Read More