“You get done what you have to get done but I like to stay with a resident a little longer to do the little extras,” says Eckstein who has worked at the peopleCare long-term care home in Stratford for more than 14 years.

“I really like helping the residents get ready, chatting with them and making them feel good for the day,” she says. “But that gets harder to do every day.”

Often there isn’t time for the simple extras like cutting fingernails, tying a resident’s tie, dressing them up, listening to a resident’s story and helping them to look and feel good, she explains. “You are always aware you have nine other residents to help get ready for the day.”

Both staff and residents would benefit from extra funding for nursing care in long term care homes, Eckstein says. “We are doing a good job now but with more staff, we could give our residents better care and improve their quality of life.”

When you feel rushed on the job, it can become stressful and put people on edge, Eckstein says. Having a little more time to spend with individual residents is good for the morale of both residents and caregivers, she says.

Eckstein says staffing in long term care has not kept up with the changes in the type of residents to be cared for. “Residents need much more care now than when I started working here,” she says. “When many of our residents arrive now, they can’t walk by themselves.”

The Ontario Long Term Care Association is asking member homes to solicit their MPPs for support for increased funding to help ensure the future of their home and the quality of care residents need.

Eckstein would like to see the government commit to funding renovations in older homes like peopleCare. “This is a very nice home but it would be good to get completely out of four-bed wards and make some of the rooms larger.”