If you would like to advocate for restrictions on visits to be removed, and visits to start again, you, or your loved ones can contact the government officials below by email, or phone.
Sample message below you can copy and paste for ease.
Find your MLA's contact information here: https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health - HLTH.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Tel #
Dr. Bonnie Henry - Bonnie.Henry@gov.bc.ca
Tel #1-250-952-1330
Premier Horgan - Premier@gov.bc.ca; Constituency: john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Tel # 1-250-387-1715; Constituency #1-250-391-2801
Ronna-Rae Leonard - Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors
ronna-rae.leonard.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Tel# 1-250-387-3655; Constituency # 1-250-703-2410
BC Seniors Advocate - info@seniorsadvocatebc.ca
Toll-free at 1-877-952-3181; In Victoria: 250-952-3181
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Sample message to send to your MLA
[Date]
Honourable [MLA], Premier Horgan, Minister Dix, Dr. Bonnie Henry, Parliamentary Secretary Leonard, and Ms. Isobel McKenzie, BC Senior's Advocate,
I am writing you today as the loved one/spouse/family caregiver/friend of a senior who lives in a care home, group care setting, and/or hospital who has had their visits with family members/loved ones and close connections stopped as part of the plan to manage COVID-19 in B.C.
I am deeply concerned about the impacts this has had on my loved one. Many seniors have been reporting how the ongoing isolation they have been forced to endure during these months has been impacting their mental and physical health and well-being.
Many elders report that they feel depressed, lonely, and hopeless and miss being able to see, connect, and spend time with their closest contacts. I miss my loved one terribly, and have worried very much about their health and well-being during this time.
Many seniors have also felt like their rights to autonomy, self-determination and making decisions has been taken away arbitrarily. They feel that this has impacted their dignity and quality of life. They don't feel that is fair, or just, and I don't either. None of us understand how seniors can be treated like this by their own government.
As a loved one/family member, I have felt left out of decision-making. I have felt silenced, and ignored by the Health Authorities, care home, hospital and facility administrations who have made these heavy-handed decisions. That too has been unfair and unjust. Family caregivers and loved ones deserve to have voice, be part of consultations, and have our needs and concerns for our loved ones listened to, considered and acted upon.
At this time, the B.C. government has reported that COVID-19 is under control. As of June 22nd, 2020, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reports, "COVID-19 risk in BC is very low." (BCCDC).
The B.C. government has also reported that care home and group care setting outbreaks are being well managed, and that as of June 22nd, there have been no new outbreaks in long-term care, assisted-living, or other group care home settings. (BC Government Update, June 22, 2020).
I am writing today to ask you to ask the BC government to do the following:
1. Issue an immediate directive that notifies all Health Authorities, administrators of private and public care homes, assisted-living, and other group care home settings that seniors who are residents in these settings are legally allowed, entitled, and have the autonomy and self-determination rights to decide if they want to leave the facility for visits with loved ones/other connections. The Adult Guardianship Act (AGA) in B.C. does not permit anyone to strip seniors of their right to autonomy, self-determination and the right to make decisions about their health, safety and well-being.
2. Issue a Public Health Order to the Health Authorities, administrators of private and public care homes, assisted-living, and other group care home settings, and hospitals to immediately implement health and safety and screening measures and to begin to allow visits between seniors and loved ones in their care homes.
3.Issue a Public Health Order to the Health Authorities, administrators of private and public care homes, assisted-living, and other group care home settings and hospitals to immediately set up a visiting area, room, or patio area so that if residents are not mobile, or able to ambulate well, or have other reasons preventing them from visiting at bedside.
4. Other than general visiting times, the province will direct and specify that administrators/Health Authorities cannot dictate how long visits go for, and must not limit, or shorten the time for visits unreasonably. Seniors and their families must be able to have autonomy and determine their own needs for length of visits the way they did before COVID-19.
Thank you for your time. I will appreciate a timely response to my correspondence with you.
[Optional: B.C. is going to have a provincial election in May 2021. Voters in BC, like me and my family, will remember how seniors were treated in 2020, and before that. We will be voting for candidates that stood up and cared about the health, safety and well-being of seniors, who are also voters, and those who listened and cared what family caregivers and loved ones have to say].
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Email
Telephone #
Address
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Here is another post I did for advocating for the care needs of seniors and people with disabilities in hospitals and facilities in BC.
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