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The pandemic has had a devastating impact on long-term care homes. In this article for the new publication Nature Aging, our team of four Canadian women who’ve created Disability Equity in Health looks at the factors leading to this situation:

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many have disregarded worry since the virus “only kills old and disabled people”¹. Aside from being inaccurate, this reflects the most disturbing theme across COVID-19: society prioritizing comfort and convenience over the safety of vulnerable groups, apparently deemed disposable. The impact of these positions has been seen in long-term care homes (LTCHs) globally² and significantly in Canada³, where LTCH residents disproportionately represent 81% of Canadian COVID-19 deaths, more than double the average (38%) of all other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries³. Although Canada reports the worst proportion of COVID-19 deaths linked to LTCHs globally, all nations exhibit a concerning trend for the pandemic’s trajectory where society’s most vulnerable are suffering the consequences of apathy.”

Read the rest of our letter on the impact of apathy and COVID19 on long-term care homes in Nature Aging.