Abstract
Note: This article was published as a guest editorial by Seniors for Social Action Ontario. It is a precis of a longer article published in the Canadian Journal on Ageing. The full article, including examples of options and more details, and full references, is here: 10.1017/S0714980824000308
Canadians overwhelmingly do not want to live in long-term-care facilities (nursing homes) when they age; however, many end up there for lack of homecare, because family care partners burn out, or because they and their professional advisors are unaware of alternatives to institutions. Not only is institutional dementia care riven with problems, it segregates disabled people, thereby abrogating human rights. Because systemic ageism and ableism cloud seniors’ care, institutions remain the default option for Canadians with dementia. Yet, decades of deinstitutionalization enabled younger disabled Canadians to live in the community with supports. Why not seniors? We present a roadmap for considering all relevant care options in service plans, one that incorporates supported decision-making by people with dementia. We then describe a plethora of noninstitutional dementia-care alternatives. We propose a paradigm shift in how Canada serves its senior citizens—not just the current generation but those to come, including ourselves.