From Cruddiness to Catastrophe: COVID-19 and Long-term Care in Ontario
Ellen Badone
Abstract
Over 80% of Canadian COVID-19 first wave deaths occurred in long-term care homes. Focussing on Ontario, I trace the antecedents of the COVID-19 crisis in long-term care and document experiences of frontline staff and family members of residents during the pandemic. Following Povinelli, I argue that the marginalization of both residents and workers in Ontario's long-term care system over two decades has eroded possibilities for recognition of their personhood. I also question broader societal attitudes toward aging, disability and death that make possible the abandonment of the frail elderly.
Topics & Concepts
Abandonment (legal)Long-term carePersonhoodCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)PandemicTerm (time)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakMedicineGerontologyPolitical scienceNursingLawOutbreakPhysicsPathologyQuantum mechanicsVirologyInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseGeriatric Care and Nursing HomesAging, Elder Care, and Social IssuesMigration, Aging, and Tourism Studies