Two South Surrey seniors have launched a national association as a way to give a voice to long-term care home residents and people who live in retirement homes.

Amica White Rock residents Larry O91裸聊视频橞rien and Julian Kirstiuk recently founded the federally incorporated Canadian Association for Retirement Home Residents (CARHR).

An association designed to represent long-term care home residents has been needed for years, O91裸聊视频橞rien said. However, the trigger point for starting CARHR, he added, was the introduction of a restriction regarding visitors at B.C.91裸聊视频檚 retirement homes and long-term care facilities.

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The current provincial guidelines restrict visits to one designated family member or friend.

O91裸聊视频橞rien, who is the CEO of the new association, said the restriction should be adjusted to allow two people to visit at the same time. Allowing only one person, he said, is no different than being told to pick your favourite child.

91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檝e got three children and 10 grandchildren, only one of those are ever allowed to visit you. That91裸聊视频檚 a horrible situation,91裸聊视频� he said.

One of the first actions of the association was to write an open letter to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. While the letter commends her 91裸聊视频渆xceptional efforts91裸聊视频� to control COVID-19, it takes issue with her position on long-term care home visitors.

91裸聊视频淭here is one regulation you have endorsed that begs for your re-assessment. The imposition of the very cruel and inhumane order that separates families. You have separated families and forced those seniors living in retirement homes to endure a long period of extreme stress with their isolation,91裸聊视频� O91裸聊视频橞rien wrote.

91裸聊视频淭here can be little justification for restricting visiting at retirement homes to one designated visitor.91裸聊视频�

Monday afternoon, after announcing six new deaths and 317 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, Dr. Henry said there are currently 13 long-term care homes where there are COVID-19 outbreaks.

Henry said she does not envision the province increasing restrictions on visitors, but acknowledged the challenges that come with loosening them.

91裸聊视频淭he difficulty we have with long-term care is that it91裸聊视频檚 not just our person that is in there, it91裸聊视频檚 everybody who91裸聊视频檚 at risk,91裸聊视频� Dr. Henry said.

B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix said the most common concern his office receives relates to visitor restrictions at long-term care homes.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e taken a very methodical approach to dealing with it,91裸聊视频� Dix said during the news briefing.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 clear that we want, as a goal, to increase the number of visits but we have to put that into context. COVID-19 is obviously unbelievably harmful, potentially harmful, to people living in long-term care.91裸聊视频�

The association, O91裸聊视频橞rien said, is a vehicle for people to speak out if they91裸聊视频檙e otherwise afraid to do so.

91裸聊视频淭he people in these homes, especially the long-term care homes, they either don91裸聊视频檛 want to speak (or) they91裸聊视频檙e afraid to speak,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淢ost people, even in here, are reluctant to speak because they91裸聊视频檙e reluctant to offend the manager. Now, in our case, we have a really great manager, but I91裸聊视频檓 more about the long-term care where all of these people have died tragically.91裸聊视频�

O91裸聊视频橞rien described Amica as 91裸聊视频渢op of the heap,91裸聊视频� however, he said the degree of stress felt by himself and neighbours varies depending on individual circumstances and family relationships.

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91裸聊视频淵eah, people are stressed, there91裸聊视频檚 no doubt about it. But seniors don91裸聊视频檛 show their stress as much as younger people might. When you91裸聊视频檙e age 70, 80, 90, you91裸聊视频檝e learned to deal with stress to some extent, at least you learn to hide it.91裸聊视频�

O91裸聊视频橞rien and Kirstiuk are hoping to recruit volunteer board members.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 probably the most important issue we have right now,91裸聊视频� he said.

The ultimate goal is to have the association run by children and grandchildren of residents living in long-term care or retirement homes. O91裸聊视频橞rien envisions seniors sharing concerns with their family members, which would then be relayed to the association. Those concerns would then be brought to the proper authorities.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 what has been totally missing. We91裸聊视频檝e had no way to connect.91裸聊视频�

To learn more about the association or to request to join, O91裸聊视频橞rien can be contacted at ldobmob@gmail.com or 778-966-5261.

aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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