Ontario Nurses' Association Honours the Contributions of Seniors as Canada marks National Seniors' Day on October 1

TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2020 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) will honour the contributions of our seniors tomorrow on National Seniors' Day in Canada.

"With ONA members devoted to providing care in long-term care facilities across the province and providing home and community care, we are delighted to honour all that our seniors have contributed to the world during their lives, and we will continue to raise awareness of the concerns with the care they receive," says ONA President Vicki McKenna, RN. "Our long-term care-sector and home and community care nurses are passionate about the care they provide and love their work and their residents."

McKenna says our seniors have lived rich and fascinating lives and contributed much to this country. They deserve to be honoured, and they deserve dignity and quality care.

"ONA has been very vocal about the need for improvements to long-term care and home and community care, not just during COVID-19, but for decades. The long-term care sector has long been plagued by underfunding, outdated infrastructure, staff shortages, and rising resident acuity."

McKenna says that our seniors have been "caught in the crosshairs of the pandemic, and it is more important than ever that we work together to improve the health and well-being ? and care ? of those seniors who need it."

She notes that to date, more than 1,800 long-term care residents have died of COVID-19. As the province enters the second wave of the pandemic, ONA remains concerned that seniors will once again bear the brunt of COVID-19 due to unprepared long-term care homes more intent on profit than care.

ONA is determined to inform the government's Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission of the experiences of ONA members during the first wave of the pandemic, and with recommendations, provide them with key findings and evidence, and offer recommendations to bring positive changes to long-term care residents and those who provide their care.

ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses; instagram.com/ontario.nurses

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association