In response to the story “Local MPPs call for gov’t oversight of Amberwood Suites,” I am writing in response to our two local NDP MPPs commentary regarding the Covid-19 outbreak at Amberwood Suites Retirement Home along with the unfortunate death of one its residents.
This is a time when Amberwood residents and its families, staff and management are all reflecting and trying to cope with the loss of one of their own. What it is not time for is a barrage of blaming tactics formulated by the NDP, which is causing community divide.
What was not accurately reflected in the report were all the measures carried out by the Amberwood Mature Lifestyle Organization that kept all of their residents in all four of their facilities safe and free of the virus for nine months of this pandemic.
The staff in all four facilities have to be commended for implementing measures that kept the residents safe, despite push back from family members who felt the measures were too severe and against their rights to come and go as they please, even at a time when reported deaths in LTC facilities were skyrocketing.
Despite the daily updates from Premier Doug Ford requesting we all stay home, we do not travel, we do not visit with anyone outside of our home; the numbers now demonstrate that Ontarians did not adhere to his pleas during the holiday season.
The situation reflects human nature and a lesson to us all. We are not immune to the effects of the virus because we live in the North.
Nicole Guido, Retired RN, Greater Sudbury