B-C’s seniors advocate is recommending easing restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care homes based on a survey that reflects the experiences of 13-thousand residents and their families. The report from Isobel Mackenzie includes emotional accounts from family members who hadn’t seen their relatives for months due to limits on the number of people allowed to visit care facilities. Mackenzie says it also shows increases in the use of antipsychotic medication, as well as more cases of weight loss and signs of depression. The C-E-O of the B-C Care Providers Association, Terry Lake, is also calling for a more regional approach to restrictions since the majority of COVID-19 cases in B-C are in the Fraser Health region.
