November 20, 2025

Throughout its history, since the early 1990’s Care Watch has been a vital advocacy voice for older adults in Ontario. Like Seniors for Social Action (Ontario) but well before SSAO was founded, Care Watch advocated for accessible, affordable, effectively coordinated, securely funded home and community care delivered by community-based, non-profit agencies.

The early volunteers who took part in the NDP government’s provincial consultations on the establishment of multi-service agencies continued on after the PC party’s victory in 1995 dissolved that initiative.  Continuing to use their expertise, they launched Metro Consumers for Community Based Long Term Care, amplifying consumer calls for sustainable, accessible quality Home Care.  In 1998 that name changed to Care Watch which set up its office on Merton Street in Toronto, sharing SPRINT Senior Care’s space.

Over the years Care Watch has commented on and analyzed regulations, policies, and legislation affecting older adults. It challenged the profit motive in home and community care, and promoted the rights of caregivers and paid staff in the home and community care sectors. Its volunteers wrote to Ministers advocating for progressive and meaningful change. It informed its members about how to take a stand in advocating for change and it was an important voice in counteracting ageism in society.

Ontario has been blessed to have had so many work so hard for so long to create a safer, more caring, and compassionate system for those requiring assistance to age in their own homes and communities.

Remarkable Founders

Charlotte Maher was a founding member of Care Watch and a woman with a long and storied history in the social justice annals of Toronto and Ontario.  She founded POINT (People and Organizations in North Toronto), SPRINT (Senior Peoples Resources in North Toronto) and the Central Eglinton Community Centre. Her community work was so significant that the City of Toronto named a park after her.  Charlotte was a dedicated, caring advocate for social justice deeply committed to the wellbeing and quality of life of individuals who are often forgotten or live on the margins of society.

Bea Levis, another of Care Watch’s founding members was a remarkable woman – an activist all of her life.  Bea understood the meaning of oppression since her family’s roots had been in Tsarist Russia from which her parents and most of her extended family fled after widespread anti-Semitic pogroms. She was recognized for her activism with the Ontario Government and City of Toronto Senior of the Year Award in 1995, the Constance E. Hamilton Award in 1997, and the Dan Benedict Award in 2005. She received the Order of Ontario in 2006,  and the Ontario Gerontology Association Positive Aging Award in 2013.  Her activities on behalf of older adults are too many to list in this short space, so suffice it to say it was her commitment to the betterment of the lives of others that gave her own life purpose well into her 90’s. She was a respected mentor and a good friend.

Ethel Meade, former Vice Chair of Care Watch also co-founded and was co-chair of the Ontario Health Coalition and founded the Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens’ Organizations as well as serving with the Seniors’ Secretariat and the Ontario Association of Social Workers Aging Issues Committee. An expert in policy development and analysis, organizations, municipalities and the provincial government often consulted her on matters related to home and community care and other social issues.

Ethel and Bea were also leaders in the Older Women’s’ Network – another advocacy force to be reckoned with.

It is women like Charlotte, Bea, and Ethel and Care Watch’s current Board and volunteers who have commanded the attention and respect of successive governments.

A Wistful Good Bye to a Special Organization

Care Watch’s last annual general meeting will be held on December 3^rd.  It will be very sad to see an organization that has been such an important part of the advocacy network for older adults in Ontario close its doors.

Seniors for Social Action (Ontario) has been grateful to work alongside the outstanding volunteers at Care Watch in advocating for a home and community care system that benefits all those who rely on it.

The journey has often been a difficult one, so we are especially thankful to all those who never gave up and never gave in and continued to serve their communities for decades in spite of often overwhelming odds.  They deserve our respect, our thanks, and our gratitude.