Two South Surrey seniors have launched a national association as a way to give a voice to long-term care home residents and people who live in retirement homes.

Amica White Rock residents Larry OB次元官网网址橞rien and Julian Kirstiuk recently founded the federally incorporated Canadian Association for Retirement Home Residents (CARHR).

An association designed to represent long-term care home residents has been needed for years, OB次元官网网址橞rien said. However, the trigger point for starting CARHR, he added, was the introduction of a restriction regarding visitors at B.C.B次元官网网址檚 retirement homes and long-term care facilities.

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The current provincial guidelines restrict visits to one designated family member or friend.

OB次元官网网址橞rien, who is the CEO of the new association, said the restriction should be adjusted to allow two people to visit at the same time. Allowing only one person, he said, is no different than being told to pick your favourite child.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檝e got three children and 10 grandchildren, only one of those are ever allowed to visit you. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a horrible situation,B次元官网网址� he said.

One of the first actions of the association was to write an open letter to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. While the letter commends her B次元官网网址渆xceptional effortsB次元官网网址� to control COVID-19, it takes issue with her position on long-term care home visitors.

B次元官网网址淭here is one regulation you have endorsed that begs for your re-assessment. The imposition of the very cruel and inhumane order that separates families. You have separated families and forced those seniors living in retirement homes to endure a long period of extreme stress with their isolation,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橞rien wrote.

B次元官网网址淭here can be little justification for restricting visiting at retirement homes to one designated visitor.B次元官网网址�

Monday afternoon, after announcing six new deaths and 317 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, Dr. Henry said there are currently 13 long-term care homes where there are COVID-19 outbreaks.

Henry said she does not envision the province increasing restrictions on visitors, but acknowledged the challenges that come with loosening them.

B次元官网网址淭he difficulty we have with long-term care is that itB次元官网网址檚 not just our person that is in there, itB次元官网网址檚 everybody whoB次元官网网址檚 at risk,B次元官网网址� Dr. Henry said.

B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix said the most common concern his office receives relates to visitor restrictions at long-term care homes.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e taken a very methodical approach to dealing with it,B次元官网网址� Dix said during the news briefing.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 clear that we want, as a goal, to increase the number of visits but we have to put that into context. COVID-19 is obviously unbelievably harmful, potentially harmful, to people living in long-term care.B次元官网网址�

The association, OB次元官网网址橞rien said, is a vehicle for people to speak out if theyB次元官网网址檙e otherwise afraid to do so.

B次元官网网址淭he people in these homes, especially the long-term care homes, they either donB次元官网网址檛 want to speak (or) theyB次元官网网址檙e afraid to speak,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢ost people, even in here, are reluctant to speak because theyB次元官网网址檙e reluctant to offend the manager. Now, in our case, we have a really great manager, but IB次元官网网址檓 more about the long-term care where all of these people have died tragically.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址橞rien described Amica as B次元官网网址渢op of the heap,B次元官网网址� however, he said the degree of stress felt by himself and neighbours varies depending on individual circumstances and family relationships.

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B次元官网网址淵eah, people are stressed, thereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt about it. But seniors donB次元官网网址檛 show their stress as much as younger people might. When youB次元官网网址檙e age 70, 80, 90, youB次元官网网址檝e learned to deal with stress to some extent, at least you learn to hide it.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址橞rien and Kirstiuk are hoping to recruit volunteer board members.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 probably the most important issue we have right now,B次元官网网址� he said.

The ultimate goal is to have the association run by children and grandchildren of residents living in long-term care or retirement homes. OB次元官网网址橞rien envisions seniors sharing concerns with their family members, which would then be relayed to the association. Those concerns would then be brought to the proper authorities.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what has been totally missing. WeB次元官网网址檝e had no way to connect.B次元官网网址�

To learn more about the association or to request to join, OB次元官网网址橞rien can be contacted at ldobmob@gmail.com or 778-966-5261.

aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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