There was a recent CBC news article, dated Nov 23 2019, which reported that The Trespass Act was used illegally to keep families away from their loved ones, as they were speaking out about about conditions in Long Term Care and retirement residences where their loved ones lived.

The article shared the story of a daughter who was banned from visiting her mother in an Ottawa retirement residence because she believed the home was ‘trying to silence her from advocating on behalf of her mother’.

Jane Meadus from the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly responded that she receives calls at least once a week from families who have been banned from visiting their loved ones in both retirement and long term care homes.  Ms. Meadus clearly stated that the ‘homes do not have the right to ban residents’ visitors’.

Advocating for family by family is required and their concerns need to be heard and addressed.

I have also seen families not allow other family members to visit their loved one who may be residing in either a retirement or LTC facility.  This  has  happened when there is a disagreement between the attorneys for personal care  or when the attorney for personal care decides on their parent’s behalf that Mary or Joe or John are not welcome to visit. In the cases that I have seen, lawyers are  involved to try and resolve the situation and a supervision order may be part of the process.  I recall in my early days as a young social worker in Youth Protection providing supervision between a parent and their child, to ensure no harm came to the child.  Now as much older social worker, I have been asked to provide supervision again between a parent and their child but now the supervision order is to ensure that the parent is not at risk.   Role reversal: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.