Thursday, October 21, 2010

Liberal view of home care

        I read the article “Conservatives ignoring Canada's home care challenge” and decided to write about it because home care has affected my grandparents in a personal way.  I found the information in this article to be very important; especially the stand that the Liberals make towards funding and support towards the elderly and their care givers. Liberals are voicing an important need of our society by emphasizing the importance of government funding to provide a home care plan as part of our universal health care system.

        “With an ageing population, the number of Canadians who will need home care is projected to rise one-third by 2017, Canada’s 150th birthday.  With nearly three million Canadians currently caring for a sick family member at home, the burden on families who are also supporting college-age children, working and saving for retirement is only expected to rise” (Liberal Party, 2010). These facts not only acknowledge the need for home care for the elderly, but it also emphasizes the effect it can have on the families who are providing care. Home care is not just a concern of providing services for our ageing population, but also to be of assistance to the caregivers.  


        Mullaly discusses that liberals seek to use the power of the state to provide opportunities, such as public education and health care, that would not be available to many people without government intervention.  Conservatives ignoring Canada's home care challenge describes the Liberals support funding towards home care to support the elderly and to help caregivers.  Instead of spending on further tax cuts, Liberals will use some of those funds towards seniors and their care givers.  As stated by Mr. Brison in the article: “Home care is less costly than hospitalization and more dignified for our seniors.  If we can ease the financial hardship of caregiving on our families, it’s a win-win for everyone” (Liberal Party, 2010).  Bison is acknowledging not only the need of seniors to be provided with care, but also their dignity as persons who deserve quality care.

        My late grandmother had Alzheimer's and my grandfather was her caregiver for 12 years of her illness. It was very important for my grandmother, during her illness to be around people she was familiar with. Providing care at home as long as it was beneficial and possible for my grandparents, was definitely the best option for them and the family who assisted in care-giving. Being provided with home care a few times per week, as well as other beneficial emotional and financial assistance greatly helped my grandfather. My grandfather was honoured and happy to be the primary caregiver of my grandmother until it was necessary for her to be placed in a personal care home because his health was declining. I know he was grateful for the assistance he received during the stages of Alzheimer's with his wife.

        I support the notion to have the elderly stay in their homes as long as it is beneficially possible, and to assist families in providing care for their loved ones. Family involvement, as I can testify with my grandmother, and the elderly I worked with, is beneficial, and government assistance is important to be able to do so with minimal stress. I believe for many, home care would not be possible without outside help. As our past generations have worked towards a better life for us, we are now called to stand up for what is best for them.


Liberal Party of Canada (2010, July 28) Conservatives ignoring Canada's home care challenge, Health & Home Care, Retrieved October 21, 2010, from
http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/conservatives-ignoring-canada%E2%80%99s-home-care-challenge/


Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work (third ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 92.


Sarah H

7 comments:

  1. Although I work for a nursing home, I completely agree with the importance of keeping the loved one at home, the longest they can, and having a support system in place.

    Thanks for recently stopping by, and commenting on my story,

    Cheers,

    Doris

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  3. Great post Sarah. The personal stories that you shared were really interesting and helped your argument.I remeber how happy my grandparents were until they moved into a nursing home for the last few years of their life. The saddness that affected them after leaving their home was apparent every time I visited them. Increased funding for in home health care is a great idea.
    Crystal M.

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  4. This blogs talks about a very important issue. I also agree that it is very important for a senior to live at home with the support of their loved ones. Working at a personal care home I see how difficult it is for the new seniors to adjust to their new lifestyle. They have to change their entire routine and adjust to having little privacy. It is very stressful and emotional time for them. It's great that the Liberals realize the importance of government funding for home care because more seniors can live in the comfort of their homes!

    Great Topic!

    Melanie. F

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  5. Well done! Your post in a sense opened up my eyes to a topic I had not given thought to. I have worked in a healthcare setting before so I can understand some of the struggles that nurses face. It definitely is difficult for each resident to receive the adequate amount of care that they need since the nurses are doint the best that they can. The family can help out more than they may have thought if they work together to help the senior adjust to a new way of life. New seniors of course will struggle emotionally and socially as they attempt to adjust to a new home, along with moving they may have lost their lifelong partner and may feel abandoned. There are so many factors that can affect one's life in a time of adjustment.

    You said, "As our past generations have worked towards a better life for us, we are now called to stand up for what is best for them". Very well said! There is so much truth to that.

    Dana W

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  6. The blog you have done is great! I completely agree. People should help out their family member(s) who require some assistance, so that they can live in their home for as long as possible. That is before having to go to an elderly home for example. By family members frequently visiting their family member who lives in a home or requires assistance, it sure does make everyone happier, and I can most definitely relate to this.

    Ashley R.

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  7. What a great post. I am very greatful for home care. Recently my grandfather has become quite ill, with many issues, and without the help of homecare he wouldnt be able to be at home. My grandma just couldnt take care of him alone. without it, he'd would probably remain in the hospital, possibly but doubtfully a home, and that wouldnt fly with him.

    -Allery

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