‘Would you like to know that someone’s been trained?‘: Local mother calls for more funding amid staffing concerns in home care sector

A local family is calling on the government for increased funding in the home care sector after a man was left on the floor for three hours.

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has released results of a survey that found ‘plummeting staff morale’ among staff who assist with at-home care.

The survey included 1,000 at home care coordinators and system planning staff.

“Would you like to know that who’s taking care of your child is getting paid properly for the work they do?” questioned Bernadine Damphouse, who’s son currently uses at-home care.

Her son, Zachary Ghazali, 33 years old from Amherstburg, has as a rare inherited disorder known as Friedriech’s Ataxia, a progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system.

“I was going to the bathroom, and I fell on the floor,” Ghazali told CTV News Windsor.

“I was stuck on the floor for three hours.”

Ghazali and Damphouse claim the organization he receives at-home care from is not only understaffed, but the employees are unqualified.

“Would you like to know that someone can use the equipment? Would you like to know that someone’s been trained?” asked Damphouse.

Ghazali has filed a complaint with the province’s ombudsman.

In an email sent to CTV Windsor, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services said:

We prioritize services based on individual risk assessments and work with community partners to address complex situations, and a consistent province-wide process helps those requiring urgent supports … In the 2024 Budget ... $90 million was allocated to the developmental services sector.

But CUPE argued their survey found widespread chaos, turmoil, job security concerns, as well as supply chain problems.

They said at-home care has been restructured five times since home care was privatized.

Other local organizations that provide support for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities said their sector is grossly underfunded and that support should be directly tied to inflation.

“We have not been able to reopen two children’s respite locations and one adult respite location since the pandemic,” said Karen Bolger, Community Living Essex County’s executive director.

“Our agency continues to struggle with our staffing capacity.”

Community Living Essex County recently solidified a contract with its employees

“Do we want to pay them more? Absolutely. We do.” said Bolger.

“I would love to have more staffing here,” said Elizabeth Esposito, Harmony in Action’s executive director.

“I would love to be able to have a smaller ratio.”