Hello,
I want the public to know what is happening to me and this is in the public interest:
I have MS and I am physically disabled living in Vancouver BC and I feel that my health and wellbeing are in danger from the actions of my care agency if nothing is done. I am asking for your advice and help.
I am living in a supported housing apartment. My care agency is contracted by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)
My wellbeing, health, and mobility are being threatened because the care agency is refusing to use my sit to stand lift to transfer me, which is a mechanical lift that I can stand in and use my muscles. The lift is used for example to transfer me in and out of bed. It is visually obvious that using the sit to stand with me is safe and this is proven by assessments and recommendations from medical professionals. But my evidence is ignored and the contracted care agency continues to refuse to use it. I am able to stand safely and use my muscles.
However, the care agency and VCH are trying to force me to use a ceiling lift against my will where I would use my muscles very little if at all, which is not appropriate for me and in a short amount of time would damage my health and mobility. I am not paralyzed and I want to use my muscles to stand, because as we all know if you don’t use it, you lose it.
To protect my health and mobility, it is my family that do all of my transfers manually and with the sit to stand lift to get me out of bed, use the toilet, etc. If they were not helping me, I would be confined to bed and unable to get on the toilet, and eventually I could be stuck in my apartment like a prisoner.
My family is struggling against the care agency's neglect to protect my health and freedom. They do the work that the public funds the care agency to do.
Therefore, my family who are themselves elderly are in effect unpaid workers and slaves for the care agency and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority because of the negligence of these organizations. Is this the future of healthcare in Canada?
Instead of my family visiting and having a good time with me, they have to do the care work for government paid caregivers. These circumstances can allow me to believe that my caregivers are making false complaints to WorksafeBC about using my sit to stand lift, resulting in them getting out of work they are able to do safely.
For instance, I get no assistance from the care agency with transfers including to the toilet or into and out of bed. The pattern is the caregivers make what I believe to be false complaints to WorkSafeBC and my care gets cut. I can’t even appeal these decisions to WorkSafeBC because WorkSafeBC only has mechanisms for appeals from workers and employers and I am neither. In this process I feel that I’m considered to be an object and not a person.
I feel helpless. Looking forward for any advice and support how to deal with my current situation.
Thank for your help.
I want the public to know what is happening to me and this is in the public interest:
I have MS and I am physically disabled living in Vancouver BC and I feel that my health and wellbeing are in danger from the actions of my care agency if nothing is done. I am asking for your advice and help.
I am living in a supported housing apartment. My care agency is contracted by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)
My wellbeing, health, and mobility are being threatened because the care agency is refusing to use my sit to stand lift to transfer me, which is a mechanical lift that I can stand in and use my muscles. The lift is used for example to transfer me in and out of bed. It is visually obvious that using the sit to stand with me is safe and this is proven by assessments and recommendations from medical professionals. But my evidence is ignored and the contracted care agency continues to refuse to use it. I am able to stand safely and use my muscles.
However, the care agency and VCH are trying to force me to use a ceiling lift against my will where I would use my muscles very little if at all, which is not appropriate for me and in a short amount of time would damage my health and mobility. I am not paralyzed and I want to use my muscles to stand, because as we all know if you don’t use it, you lose it.
To protect my health and mobility, it is my family that do all of my transfers manually and with the sit to stand lift to get me out of bed, use the toilet, etc. If they were not helping me, I would be confined to bed and unable to get on the toilet, and eventually I could be stuck in my apartment like a prisoner.
My family is struggling against the care agency's neglect to protect my health and freedom. They do the work that the public funds the care agency to do.
Therefore, my family who are themselves elderly are in effect unpaid workers and slaves for the care agency and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority because of the negligence of these organizations. Is this the future of healthcare in Canada?
Instead of my family visiting and having a good time with me, they have to do the care work for government paid caregivers. These circumstances can allow me to believe that my caregivers are making false complaints to WorksafeBC about using my sit to stand lift, resulting in them getting out of work they are able to do safely.
For instance, I get no assistance from the care agency with transfers including to the toilet or into and out of bed. The pattern is the caregivers make what I believe to be false complaints to WorkSafeBC and my care gets cut. I can’t even appeal these decisions to WorkSafeBC because WorkSafeBC only has mechanisms for appeals from workers and employers and I am neither. In this process I feel that I’m considered to be an object and not a person.
I feel helpless. Looking forward for any advice and support how to deal with my current situation.
Thank for your help.
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