York Community to rally at Queen's Park Wednesday, March 26: CUPE calls on Wynne Government to reverse cuts affecting seniors and disabled in York

DigitalJournal.com
March 25, 2014

Buses carrying hundreds of concerned seniors, their families and caregivers along with supporters from York region will rally at Queen's Park on March 26 to urge the Liberal government to reverse cuts at seven York Region homes affecting 225 seniors and disabled residents.
"We've reached out to the Liberal MPPs in York Region but they've not responded to the community's cry for help for our seniors," said Doug Sheppard, spokesperson for Local 905 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). "So our York community will be at Queen's Park to ask Premier Wynne and Minister Matthews to intervene and reverse the cuts that will not only lower the quality of care for seniors and the disabled but severely impact the quality of their lives."

Who?
York Region Community members including seniors, their families, caregivers and supporters

What?
Rally to 'Reverse the Cuts in York Region Homes that will hurt our seniors and the disabled'

When?
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
10:30 a.m.

Where?
Ontario Legislature
1 Queen's Park Circle, Toronto

The 225 seniors and disabled residents living in the seven York Region homes are currently being cared for by 90 York Region long-term care workers who provide 24/7 on-site emergency and non-emergency assistance. Starting April 1, the service will be replaced by a hub-and-spoke model provided by Community and Home Assistance to Seniors (CHATS) and Care First, serviced by a mobile-unit where calls for assistance will be placed in a queue and residents will have to wait for at least fifteen minutes for the mobile-unit staff to arrive. The switch in services is due to the provincial government's decision to not fund the Alternative Community Living program and change the care delivery model for seniors seeking care and assistance.

Doug Sheppard,
CUPE 905 Spokesperson,
905-955-6130

John Cromwell,
CUPE National Representative,
705-722-7387

James Chai,
CUPE Communications,
905-739-3999