Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority Supports Awareness Walk Highlighting Ontario’s Failing Home and Community Care System.
October 10, 2023
Sioux Lookout First Nation Health Authority (SLFNHA) announced today, it’s un-wavered support to Howard Meshake and Jeannie Carpenter in their awareness walk, Jeannie’s Way. The walk is to raise awareness on the Treaty Right to health care for off-reserve members, regardless of where they reside.
Jeannie is a patient requiring 24-hour medical help due to her complex medical needs brought on by a stroke in 2018. She lives at home, in Sioux Lookout, with Howard who is the primary home caregiver. A message Howard wants to get across with Jeannie’s Way are the complexities and inequities encountered being unable to access home care and other necessary health services in northern Ontario.
“We have been completely abandoned by the Ontario Home and Community Care system. Jeannie has not received any home care services since October 2022 and only had one hour of nursing care in total since June 2023. I will do everything in my power to prevent Jeannie from having to live in a hospital just because the home and community care system is broken. The reason for this walk is not only about how the system is failing my wife, but also to highlight that this occurs for so many others here in the North. It’s time for the Provincial Government to recognize the lack of access to health care in Northern Ontario.”
– Howard Meshake
Beginning in October 2020, Howard shared publicly his family experience of being a caregiver to Jeannie on a full-time basis. He outlined the challenges with the health services that she requires; how the policies, authorities, jurisdictional ambiguity, and lack of health human resources and services close to home were constant barriers.
SLFNHA is an advocate for Jeannie’s care and continues to provide support when possible. Sonia Isaac-Mann, SLFNHA CEO and President, is determined to assist in finding solutions to provide easier access to care for community members on and off reserve.
“It’s our goal to see a system designed around people having the ability to look after their loved ones at home. People should not be living in hospitals or long-term care facilities simply because there is a lack of support services. We call on both levels of government to work with us to make sure our clients have a full continuum of care with a coordinated system of services so they can live with dignity and live with their loved ones.”
– Sonia Isaac-Mann, CEO and President, SLFNHA
With no other options left, Howard and Jeannie have decided to begin an awareness walk called Jeannie’s Way, starting at the Tourist Information Centre in Sioux Lookout on October 10, 2023 and ending at the North West Community Care Access Centre at 61 King Street in Dryden on October 12, 2023. One of the underlying issues being recognized as part of this walk is the shortage of human health resources, especially in rural and remote areas, and what it is taking away from families.
“I’m at the end of trying to rely on a system that has let me down over and over. Our son was murdered in 2019 and my husband and I have not been able to even grieve that horrible loss. Every single day is a challenge to figure out my care while also trying to make ends meet. I want to thank all the dedicated and compassionate front-line staff who have helped me while they try their best to work in a completely dysfunctional system.”
– Jeannie Carpenter, Founder of Jeannie’s Way and Stroke Survivor
“We have a Treaty Right to Health and that right is portable, meaning it applies wherever we reside. Ontario has an obligation to provide full and adequate health services to all off-reserve members. However, we continue to see people like Jeannie who are abandoned by the health system. We support Howard and Jeannie as they raise this issue for all those who are relentlessly fighting to get access to basic services.”
– Samuel McKay, Co-Chair of the SLFNHA Board of Directors and band member and resident of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug
This is an issue that affects a large population of off-reserve members who come from the 33 communities served by SLFNHA. SLFNHA supports Howard and Jeannie’s goal of creating awareness around barriers to health support in Northern Ontario and start creating concrete solutions for off-reserve members that need access to services to keep them home.
