Community News

HEALTH CARE NEEDS LONG-TERM THINKERS AT QUEEN'S PARK

ONCE THE NEW GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO IS FORMED, WE MUST STRIVE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, SAYS PETER ATHANASOPOULOS

Column Peter Athanasopoulos is Director, Public Policy, Spinal Cord Injury Ontario. He is also a member of Metroland's Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Leading up to the June 2 provincial election, Metroland reached out to members of its Diversity and Inclusion Community Advisory Committee, inviting them to write about an important election issue. This column is part of this initiative.

This spring, Ontarians are heading to the polls for the provincial election, yet many with disabilities and health-care needs are reminded of shortcomings in care.

Recently, CBC Marketplace pointed to Denmark's second largest city, Arhus, a central region with a population of 1.3 million, similar to Peel Region's population. Arhus is proving that adequate access to essential needs like assistive devices, medical supplies and attendant services helps people maintain independence and by extension, overall well-being.

Meanwhile in Ontario, the focus in health care seems to be investing in larger hospitals and more long-term care beds rather than acknowledging that people seek to live and die in comfort of their own homes, surrounded by loved ones.

While Denmark is exemplary for providing adequate care, there are Canadian provinces leading by example; Saskatchewan offers the SAIL program and provides ample support for independent living.

Ontario remains offtrack in meeting its Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) commitment, costing people with disabilities opportunities to successfully transition into the community and reach other important goals like obtaining employment with adequate accommodation.

This is a matter of life and death. CTV News recently reported that a woman with a disability is seeking medical assistance in dying as a result of being unable to secure affordable housing — an alarming reality indeed for those with spinal cord injuries, who are not only faced with the burden of long wait-lists for accessible and affordable housing, but whose suicide rates are higher.

Elections provide an opportunity to inform electoral candidates about key issues that impact vulnerable communities across Ontario at a time when they are eager to listen attentively to their prospective constituents.

There are four pertinent solutions that will help those with disabilities lead more fulfilled and productive lives: 1) Access to mobility devices, 2) Access to medical supplies, 3) Access to attendant services, and 4) AODA compliance. We have spent the last year conducting an environmental scan of essential needs across Canada — to learn more about our findings and the questions you can pose to candidates in your riding, visit yourmoveontario.ca.

Once the new Government of Ontario is formed, we must strive to hold them accountable on their pledges to create lasting change in the province in equity and inclusion. The Statistics Canada census data makes it clear that what Ontario, indeed Canada, needs for its political decision makers is longterm thinking.

OPINION

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2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281711208256572

Metroland Media Group Ltd.