Petition to support residence of Long Term Care Facilities being more involved in the Community

To encourage programs in Ontario that will bring isolated residence at Long Term Care Homes into the community in order to decrease the depression and anxiety symptoms caused by isolation. All residence should be screened for depression and other mental health issues shortly after arriving to a Long Term Care Home, but the shock and unfamiliarity of a new living situation away from loved ones as well as lack of independence can have a negative effect on your mental health over a longer span of time. Isolation is one of the leading causes of depression in Older Adults at Long Term Care facilities, and having a program that gets residence into the community at least twice a month would help with isolated related depression. This program would be very beneficial to anyone in Long Term Care who feels lonely and may be at high risk of isolated related mental illnesses.