Home Care Services are Essential to Some - My Comment within the Hamilton Spectator

My comment was published within the Hamilton Spectator once again! My article outlined the governments need to cut health care budgets for hospitals in Ontario, which will allow the government to relocate the 24.7 million dollars for home care services. Although hospitals could use a boost in budgets, many people across Canada who suffer from illnesses and diseases depend on these home care services for a variety of reasons. Read my entire post or re-read the original article published in the Spec.com.

Original Article:

News Headline: Province fails to pass hospital cuts to home care
Contributor: Joanna Frketich
Source: The Hamilton Spectator

Preview: "The local agency in charge of community care has had no increase to its budget despite area hospitals making $24.7 million in cuts to free up additional funding. Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews told The Spectator Thursday hospital budgets were frozen so the province could boost community care."

Source: http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/769485--home-care-funds-static

---

My Comment - (Published in the Spectator):

Home Care Services are Essential to Some

(CCAC - Community Care Access Center)

Hamilton-area hospitals are cutting $24.7 million: Province freezes budgets to free up home care dollars (July 27)

Although freezing hospital budget is a blow to our health system, channelling the $24.7 million to home care services is essential. Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews has a tough job balancing the needs of the many. Her decision to relocate the money could drastically affect me and others like me in a positive way.

I’ve been taken care of by the Community Care Access Centre for almost two years. The process has had its ups and downs. Due to last year’s budget cuts to the CCAC, my case worker at the time, on the advice of her manager, decided to stop my coverage completely without consulting me first. This meant that I would no longer receive crucial wound care supplies and access to a weekly nursing care clinic. The decision cost me hundreds of dollars while I fought for my case. I was a 32-year-old man, living on his own, going to work at the time and was one of the more expensive cases they had due to my life-threatening conditions. These factors didn’t make me a good candidate for home care services.

But what CCAC didn’t know is that it was only due to support from them that I was able to work, by taking a cab. At home, I was assisted by family members.

Since then, a new case worker was assigned and my mother pleaded with her to be the first to come visit me in person. She did, and, after a 30-minute conversation, realized that my life would be at risk if the CCAC stopped the much-needed nursing care and medical supplies.

Although some people might see this shift in funding to be a nuisance or the wrong thing, they should try to put themselves in other people’s shoes — those who depend on these home care services for survival.


For more information about the CCAC, please visit: http://www.ccac-ont.ca/

View my article posted in the newspaper here:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion/letters/article/770621--home-care-services-are-essential-to-some

MARTIN R. LEMIEUX, HAMILTON