Media Advisory: Rally for Muskoka Shores Nursing Home residents tomorrow at the Gravenhurst Lion's Pavilion

GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 16, 2016) - Staff at Muskoka Shores Nursing Home are set to hold a rally and pubic BBQ tomorrow at the Gravenhurst Lion's Pavilion to increase pressure on the home to improve the quality of care that residents are receiving.

"The people we care for are suffering," says Cindy Seaton, President of CUPE local 2481 who also works at the home. "We've seen no change since we made our concerns public last month. We can't sit back and do nothing. We won't stop until improvements are made in the care level of our residents."

"Ontario has the fewest staff working in long-term care of any province in Canada and this has to change," says Candace Rennick, CUPE Ontario's Secretary-Treasurer who used to work in a long-term care home herself. "We need the Liberal government to recognize how serious this problem is and legislate minimum care standards so long-term care residents can live with dignity in their final years."

Nursing home residents are a highly vulnerable, aging and frail population with an increasing number diagnosed with cognitive impairments, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The level of care required far exceeds what the workers are able to provide due to low staffing levels.

Workers at the home went public in July after complaints about staffing levels went unanswered. The home currently provides only three personal support workers for every 60 residents and staff physically can't provide the level of care required. In Ontario there are currently no legal minimum care standards for residents in long-term care.

In April, MPP France Gélinas introduced Bill 188, a private member's bill that, if passed, would legislate a four hour a day minimum standard of care for residents in long-term care. Workers from Muskoka Shores believe this is exactly what's needed.

CUPE is Ontario's community union, with more than 260,000 members providing quality public services we all rely on, in every part of the province, every day. CUPE Ontario members are proud to work in social services, health care, municipalities, school boards, universities and airlines.

SJ/KJM: COPE491