There is presently a petition circulating asking the Provincial Government to eliminate all for profit seniors care in BC. In light of the COVID-19 problems in many of our seniors homes this might sound like a good idea but it is not. Firstly for-profit and non-profit care homes have both seen outbreaks of COVID-19. It is not just in for-profit homes.
Most importantly if we eliminate the competition provided by for-profit homes we will end up with a system resembling much of our medical system where there are horrendous wait times. It is not the profit motive that is the problem, rather it is the lack of regulation and government oversight. Some of the best care homes are for-profit homes with high fees that cater to those who can afford them. Some of the worst are non-profit homes that are operating on a shoestring budget.
Our seniors need and deserve top quality care whether provided by the public sector, the non-profit sector or the private sector. That level of care can be guaranteed with proper regulation and oversight.
We have a problem in our Care Homes in BC. Let’s determine what the problem is before jumping to solutions that will increase costs and create other problems. The number one problem appears to be workers working in more than one facility. If that is found to be the major problem it can be easily cured by regulation and supervision without a government takeover and all the inefficiency that that will bring.
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