05/19/2026
THE SAME GRANDMA DENIED ACCESS to her GRANDDAUGHTER has written a letter and asked that we share it.... this is the SAME Grandma whom SB also cancelled van transportation for her grandaughter to come for visits - Grandma doesn't drive..............................................................................................................................
I am the 94-year-old grandmother of L, who lives in a SB home in Kitchener. L is very precious to me. She has always been one of the great joys of my life, and spending time with her means more to me now than ever, especially as I face a terminal illness and know my days are limited.
It has been heartbreaking for me to experience being refused entry to visit my granddaughter unless my daughter, who drove me there, left the property. My daughter herself has been banned from her daughter’s home for nearly two years now. As a mother and grandmother, I never imagined we would ever face something like this simply for loving and advocating for L.
For over 21 years things seemed peaceful and caring in that home, but the past six years have been very different. To me, it no longer feels like the warm home it once was. Sometimes it feels more like a jail than a home, and I can see by the look on L’s face that she is unhappy returning there. A grandmother knows these things.
My daughter has devoted her whole life to caring for and protecting L. She is a loving mother who only wants the very best for her daughter, yet she has been treated in ways I cannot understand. Communication has been restricted, and even taking L out for family visits has become difficult. We are expected to give 2 hours notice before seeing her, despite my daughter being her legal guardian. It leaves me wondering why loving family members are treated this way.
Over the years I have also met other parents and grandparents in Ontario going through similar struggles with group homes. It should never happen. These vulnerable people depend on their families, and families should be welcomed, not pushed away.
One evening I personally witnessed behavior toward L that deeply upset me. My heart broke for my sweet girl that night. No grandmother should ever have to leave feeling that way.
I truly believe what is needed is caring, compassionate leadership that works alongside families instead of against them. Families know their loved ones best. We are not the enemy — we are part of the support system.
I remember when L was just a baby and her parents came home from Sick Children’s Hospital after receiving difficult news about her condition. From that day forward, my daughter has carried the weight of caring for L with incredible strength and love. She never gave up on her daughter, and she never will.
It saddens me deeply to see mothers and grandmothers treated this way after dedicating their lives to their children and grandchildren. In my 94 years on this earth, I never thought I would witness such cruelty toward families simply trying to protect and love their vulnerable loved ones.
I also struggle greatly with the issue of opposite-sex intimate care for vulnerable women who cannot speak for themselves. Many women would feel uncomfortable with intimate personal care from a man, and vulnerable women deserve dignity, privacy, and respect as well. These concerns should not be dismissed.
Betty - 94 year old grandmother to L
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