Kandy Hoven is worried about the care her mom is getting.
The Lambton County woman went to county council recently saying there are problems with the way Lambton Meadowview is changing the schedule for bathing.
Until June, two workers would come in for a “bath shift” and residents would see the same worker.
Now, the health care workers on the floor provide baths throughout the day.
Hoven says her mom is being bathed by a lot of different people.
“I most certainly wouldn’t want that many people handling me and seeing me in that most intimate way,” she says adding it leads to a loss of dignity.
“My mum deserves more care, not less and more dignity and respect, not less.”
Hoven says a letter was sent to the families of residents the day before the changes occurred and that caused some confusion.
She said it was as if the county was trying to hide the changes being made since it appears fewer workers on the floor..
Hoven says the morale in the home is low because of the changes.
Jane Joris, general manager of Long Term Care, says the changes made in June are similar to changes made at the county’s other homes and are meant to provide baths when patients want them. “The number of Missed baths greatly reduced.”
But she acknowledge moral is low and staffing is a problem.
“Staff work very hard with limited resources,” says Joris. “But we do have a human resources crisis in health care.”
Joris added there has recently been “mandatory” staff morale exercises at Meadowview.
Sarnia City/County Councillor Anne Marie Gillis sympathized with Hoven.
She believes the nursing homes have to do a better job with communication. “The children of the residents need more information on what is happening and why it is happening. Perhaps we need to be meeting with children of the people in the home.”