Systemic neglect in Canada’s long-term care undermines elderly dignity
Original framing: “Why measuring dignity matters in Canada’s long-term care system” — The Conversation - Global
In Japan and Scandinavian countries, elder care is supported by strong public investment and cultural norms that value aging. These systems integrate dignity through community-based models and higher staffing ratios, offering a contrast to Canada’s underfunded and often privatized approach.
Canada’s long-term care crisis is not merely a matter of individual dignity but a systemic failure rooted in underfunding, privatization, and the marginalization of Indigenous and racialized communities.
Historical patterns of institutionalizing care at the expense of relational models show how dehumanization becomes normalized. By integrating cross-cultural and Indigenous perspectives, investing in care workers, and redefining dignity as a measurable policy goal, Canada can begin to transform its long-term care system into one that truly supports aging with dignity. This requires dismantling the profit-driven structures that prioritize efficiency over human connection and embracing a more holistic, community-centered approach to elder care.