Major changes from the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) are causing anxiety for many patients in Windsor.
Some say the number of hours a personal support worker attends their home has now been completely cut off and it's a service they can't live without.
"The system is bringing everyone down and saying go ahead lay down and die. I'm not willing to do that," says Sanrda Havens, 68, who lives with MS.
"Our budget's been cut, we don't have the finances, we are going to have to take your hours away," she recounts.
For the past four years, a personal support worker has visited Havens at her house, twice a week.
Chief executive officer of the Erie-St. Clair LHIN, Gary Switzer says patients like Havens are classified as 'low-need'
"If you are receiving a certain level of care but no longer need it, you still want it, right the difference between need and want and they feel vulnerable that services is being taken away," says Switzer.
Patients are expected to receive an assessment every six months.
Once the nurse assessing them deems they are healthy enough, they services will be reduced or cut altogether.
The CCAC reported it was facing a $5 million deficit.
Since, $4.1 million in funding was approved for this fiscal year including a budget waiver approval.
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath visited Windsor on Saturday to meet with people concerned about Liberal cuts to homecare services in the community.
“The government talks a good talk about ‘transforming’ healthcare here in Windsor and across the province,” says Horwath.
“They’re making healthcare less caring, less efficient, less accessible and more privatized and that’s not what Ontarians want.”
Switzer adds patients can ask for a reassessment at any time.
