Julie Richard had to navigate her way through Ontario's long-term care system when her "Nana" was in a home. But the rules for essential caregivers say that while homes should consider accommodating family members' requests to become essential caregivers, doing so isn't mandatory. Long-term care homes therefore have the flexibility to determine whether they are equipped to welcome essential caregivers, or not. Julie Richard, 48, says she spends hours every day helping complete strangers navigate the long term care system, mostly by offering emotional support. Prior to the pandemic, Davidson, 52, was the primary caregiver for her 92-year-old mother Dorothy Snowden, who lives with dementia in a long-term care home in Cobourg.

Source: CBC News August 08, 2020 07:52 UTC