TORONTO, Jan. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wednesday, January 29, marks the first day of a cross-province tour of a new report, Caring in Crisis: Ontario’s Long-Term Care PSW Shortage. The issue of Personal Support Worker (PSW) shortages is one that has serious local repercussions. PSWs are on the front lines, providing much of the daily hands-on care for approximately 80,000 long-term care residents in Ontario. It is no overstatement to call the situation a crisis. Long-term care homes reported that they are working with shortages on almost all shifts, every day. Weekends are worse. Rural areas are even harder hit. The shortages mean that there are not enough PSWs to staff existing beds let alone the planned new beds that are urgently needed to address the long wait lists in each community on the tour.

Caring in Crisis written by the Ontario Health Coalition and commissioned by Unifor, examines the PSW crisis in Ontario’s long-term care homes. The report is based on the input and feedback from round-table meetings held across Ontario attended by home operators and administrators, PSWs, union representatives, family councils, seniors, college staff who develop/coordinate PSW courses, local health coalitions and other long-term care advocates. The press conference will include first-hand accounts of how the crisis is impacting each local community and their long-term care homes, and recommendations to restore stability to the vital long-term care workforce.

PSW CRISIS TOUR PRESS CONFERENCES:

Wednesday January 29
Oshawa 10:00 a.m. – Donevan Recreation Complex (Program Room), 171 Harmony Road South
Lance Livingstone (phone) 905-723-1187

Ottawa 10:00 a.m. – Centretown Community Health Centre, 420 Cooper Street
Nancy Parker (phone) 613-875-0474

Thursday January 30
St. Catharines 10:00 a.m. – St. Catharines Public Library Main Branch (Rotary Room), 54 Church St
Sue Hotte (phone) 905-932-1646

Monday February 3 
Sault Ste. Marie 12:00 p.m. – Unifor Local 1359, 6-773 Great Northern Road
Hisham Shokr (phone) 647-830-6406

Wednesday February 5
London 10:00 a.m. – Unifor Local 302, 125 Elm Street
Peter Bergmanis (phone) 519-860-4403

Chatham 1:00 p.m.  – Unifor Local 127, 405 Riverview Drive
Shirley Roebuck (phone) 226-402-2724

Friday February 7
Hamilton 10:00 a.m. – Unifor Local 504, 307 Queenston Road
Janina Lebon (phone) 647-773-1914

Kitchener-Waterloo 1:30 p.m. – Unifor Local 1106, 600 Wabanaki Dr
Jim Stewart (phone) 519-588-5841

Monday February 10
Thunder Bay 10:00 a.m. – Unifor Local 229, 1060 Lithium Drive
Jules Tupker (phone) 807-627-6249

Tuesday February 11
Kingston 10:00 a.m. – Artillery Park Aquatic Centre, 382 Bagot Street
Matthew Gventer (phone) 613-542-5834

Sarnia 10:00 a.m. – Strangway Community Centre, 260 East Street N
Shirley Roebuck (phone) 226-402-2724

Oxford County 10:00 a.m. – Tillsonburg Sernior’s centre, 45 Hardy Ave
Bryan Smith (phone) 226-228-8309

Thursday February 13
Windsor 10:00 a.m. – Unifor local 2458, 3400 Somme Ave
Patrick Hannon (phone) 519-796-0410

Friday February 14
Brampton 10:00 a.m. – Central Public School Studio D, 24 Alexander St
Richard Antonio (phone) 647-237-5135

Thursday February 20
Sudbury 10:00 a.m. – Unifor local 598, 2550 Richard Lake Dr
Melissa Wood (phone) 705-662-8506

For more information: Natalie Mehra, Executive Director (cell) 416-230-6402, Hisham Shokr, Research & Campaigns Director, (office) 416-441-2502, (cell) 647-830-6406.

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