Seniors across Ontario and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community have been disproportionately affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by the dire situation that unfolded in Long-Term Care facilities across the province in 2020.
Rainbow Faith and Freedom recently participated in the consultation and development of Ontario Senior Pride’s submission to the Long-Term Care (LTC) COVID-19 Commission to ensure the voices of LGBTQ2S+ seniors were included in the Commission’s report and recommendations.
RFF participated in the consultation and development process to ensure the inclusion of the intersectionality of LGBTQ2S+ seniors and fulsome, multi-faith-based considerations
Two recommendations made by Ontario Senior Pride in submissions to the Commission were adopted by the Commission as their recommendations 37 and 38a, in the Diversity and Inclusion section of the report (page 234):
“Long-term care home residents reflect the diversity of Ontario's population. The Ministry of Long-Term Care, long-term care home licensees, management and staff must respect and support this diversity in the care and services provided to long-term care residents.
37. The Residents' Bill of Rights should be amended to align more closely with the prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Ontario Human Rights Code.”
Currently, the Residents' Bill of Rights does not include sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination.
Recommendation 38a states that LTC home licensees should be required to, “Recognize and respect 2S-LGBTQ+ spousal relationships and chosen/non-biological family relationships generally and in any rules or policies regarding visitation and the provision of essential care to 2S-LGBTQ+ residents.”
Unfortunately, other recommendations made by Ontario Senior Pride have not been explicitly included or accepted in the Commission’s report. Those recommendations were directed to the Ministry of Long-Term Care and LTC homes to adopt requirements, policies and practices to ensure the LTC homes are positive, welcoming, safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ2S+ residents, their families and caregivers and for LGBTQ2S+ staff. For example, Ontario Senior Pride recommended that the Ministry of Long-Term Care require LTC homes to provide compulsory LGBTQ2S+ seniors sensitivity, inclusion and cultural competency training for all staff, family council members and volunteers.
Although the Commission’s report does not include all of the recommendations put forward by Ontario Senior Pride, the report and recommendations are a breakthrough for the recognition of, respect for, and equitable inclusion of LGBTQ2S+ elders and seniors in the LTC system. RFF joins Ontario Senior Pride in calling upon the Ontario Government to accept the recommendations and to implement them without delay.
For more information on Ontario Senior Pride’s submission to the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission, please contact Tom Warner – warnertom10@gmail.com
Ontario’s Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Final Report April 30, 2021
http://ltccommission-commissionsld.ca/report/pdf/Ontarios_Long-Term_Care_COVID-19_Commission_Final_Report.pdf
Ontario Senior Pride’s submission to the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission, October 2020
http://cloud2.snappages.com/dc2e80b91489071f85f20ad99eab8984caed145e/LTC%20COVID-19%20Commission%20Submission.pdf