Rethinking Care for Canada’s Elders

COVID-19 has upended and disrupted the lives of many Canadians, but none have suffered more than our elders. As the virus infiltrated our communities in March and April 2020, horrific scenes unfolded at care homes across the country. Thousands of fatalities, seniors left for days without food and even opportunities to wash. Perhaps even more tragic is that, despite many warning signs and numerous investigations and special commissions, eldercare in Canada has been pushed aside for decades. The pandemic simply exposed an issue that had, in a twisted way, existed in silence and outside the public spotlight for some time. Today, we try and understand how and why Canada arrived at this moment, and what we can do differently to ensure our elders get the care they want and deserve. 

Topics discussed include: The origins of medicare and elder care in Canada, why politicians who champion healthcare issues aren’t rewarded, success models from other countries, addressing the shortage of care workers, whether market forces & the private sector can resolve challenges on their own, and much more. 

Guest Bio:

Our guest is Mr. André Picard. Mr. Picard is a health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail, where he has been a staff writer since 1987. He is also the author of five bestselling books, including most recently, “Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada’s Elders in the Wake of a Pandemic”, which was nominated for the prestigious Donner Prize in Canadian public policy writing. Mr. Picard was named Canada’s first “Public Health Hero” by the Canadian Public Health Association, as a “Champion of Mental Health” by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his dedication to improving healthcare.

Further Reading:

Picard, A. (2021). Neglected No More: The Urgent Need to Improve the Lives of Canada’s Elders in the Wake of a Pandemic. Random House Canada.

Picard, A. (2022, October 23). In an aging world, seniors’ loss of independence and quality of life is a preventable tragedy. The Globe and Mail.

Song:

Highway to the Sea by Thea Koper

Producers:

Connor Fraser - @RealCJFraser

Anna Lazaris - @lazaris_anna