According to a recent report released by Revera Inc. and the International Federation on Aging, ageism is the most accepted form of discrimination in Canadian society, a finding McCarthy says doesn’t surprise him.
Noting that negative views of long-term care homes come with ageism, McCarthy says OMNIway stories help portray what long-term care is really all about — living.
Some examples of recent OMNIway stories breaking stereotypes of aging and long-term care:
— A discussion with a computer-savvy Burnbrae Gardens resident
— A Streamway Villa staff member taking a resident to a hockey game
— A Frost Manor resident’s first-hand account of how her socialization has increased due to the home’s many outings
“We see long-term care as a place for living, and there’s a view in society that it’s some place different and that it’s a highly negative environment; that it’s a place to die and not a place to live,” says McCarthy.
Stories told in the provider’s news publication, the OMNIway, he adds, show the great things seniors and the people working in long-term care homes are doing, and these stories cast a positive light on seniors and the sector.
“As with any prejudice, when you get to know a person … it takes away the myth,” says McCarthy.
Additionally, McCarthy says sharing stories through social media tools, such as Twitter, is bringing positive stories about seniors and the long-term care sector to a broader spectrum of people.
“Social media hits a significant population that, perhaps, is younger, and it does broaden the field in terms of reach,” he says.
McCarthy adds the news program recently added a video component to provide visuals of life in long-term care homes, which is helping people see the positive things residents and staff members are doing.
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