Long-term care facilities are the only option for many. What happens when they fall short?

Hundreds of long-term care facilities across Canada have struggled with outbreaks of the novel coronavirus, leaving a string of deaths and communities shaken.

In response to the overwhelming outbreaks in Ontario and Quebec homes, the Canadian Armed Forces were deployed to the worst-hit long-term care facilities to help control the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

What the soldiers saw ⁠— including poorly trained staff, cockroaches, flies, rotten food and residents left in soiled diapers or crying out for help for lengthy periods, according to reports ⁠— led to the launch of formal investigations in both Ontario and Quebec.

Now, experts worry Canadians won’t feel confident accessing long-term care for aging or sick family members, but there aren’t really alternatives.

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READ MORE: Military teams raise concerns about conditions at Ontario care homes

Kristy Schippel is one Canadian who has had to make the difficult decision to place a family member in a long-term care facility. Her mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2014,

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