RN Timea Andersen responds to a letter from retired RN Diana Sebera. She says: "I have always had great appreciation for the calling of nurses working in both palliative and geriatric settings. Clearly, a tremendous amount of education of both other nurses and medical personnel as well as the general public is required about the stigmas and the value our elderly and vulnerable people have to our society as well our obligations to them, whether we know them or not."

RNAO launched on Friday a fourth survey for RNs, NPs and nursing graduates urging them to register for work in nursing homes that are on an active outbreak. This will fasten even more the matching of nursing staff to homes in dire need. Yesterday we responded, within hours, to the staffing needs of 18 additional organizations.

A letter from Diana Sebera to Premier Doug Ford: As a retired RN of 28 years, I’d like to provide some perspective on the Long-Term Care crisis. Although I speak of nurses and nursing, my comments also apply to personal support workers, who provide most of the daily care. Ontario has a big task ahead of itself.  A drastic change is required - one that will make nurses stay in their jobs. It starts with a good work environment.

Wendy Dunn is one of the 60 nurse practitioners (NP) working in Ontario’s nursing homes as an Attending NP. Wendy shared with us her experiences at RNAO’s weekly webinar with NPs on the management of an outbreak at Greenwood Court. She has kindly put together some of the lessons learned through this challenging experience.

The references in the media to efforts to bring medical specialists prompted a RN who works with seniors to write, brilliantly detailing the specialized knowledge required to work in long-term care. She prefers to remain anonymous. Please know that I am deeply appreciative for your willingness to share your exquisite knowledge and commitment.

The tragedy in long-term care defies description. Of Ontario's official toll of 713 COVID-19 deaths, 72%, or 516 of those deaths, have occurred in long-term care facilities. There are currently outbreaks in 132 nursing homes, or just over a fifth of the 626 homes province-wide, and there are outbreaks in 63 retirement homes.

Today, we spotlight the needs of persons requiring mental health and addiction services, one of the most neglected sectors in healthcare. On behalf of RNAO, our tremendous appreciation to Kim Moran (CEO, Children’s Mental Health Ontario), Adrienne Spafford (CEO, Addictions and Mental Health Ontario) and Camille Quenneville (CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario) for contributing the article that follows. RNAO calls on government to immediately heed their call!

The numbers are sobering, as the government is expecting 1,600 deaths by end of April and between 3,000 and 15,000 over the 18 to 24 months course of the pandemic. RNAO’s concern is that this planning still happens under a “best-case scenario,” from the outset, RNAO has been calling not to make that assumption.

I touch on the tremendous concern of domestic violence at a time when most people are staying at home. I also elaborate on the action to protect persons experiencing homelessness, and the action required by the province and the city of Toronto to implement the plans to support them.