FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Long Term Care Waitlists Growing – Homes
Challenged to Respond
(TORONTO)
June 3, 2010 – The Ontario Health
Quality Council’s annual report, released today, sheds light on
the stark reality in the province’s long term care system –
demand far outstrips supply.
“There
are about 76,000 long term care beds in homes across the province, which
are 98 per cent full, and there is a waitlist of over 25,000 people.
It’s not hard to see that this is creating backlogs in patient
flow across the health care system,” said Donna Rubin, CEO of the
Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors
(OANHSS).
In an analysis
of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s waitlist data,
OANHSS calculates that the greatest demand exists in the not-for-profit
sector. Not-for-profits account for just over 40 per cent of all homes
in the province and less than one half of all beds, but they are the
number one preference of two thirds of individuals on the total
provincial waitlist.
“As the
OHQC’s report points out, not everyone on the waitlist is in need
of the more complex care offered in homes and we have strongly supported
government initiatives such as the Aging at Home Strategy that offer
options to help seniors live independently in the community. There are,
however, a growing number of people who do require that level of support
and the system simply does not have the capacity to respond and
alleviate the pressures hospitals are facing with alternate level of
care or ALC patients,” added Rubin.
The long
term care homes sector is ready and willing to work with the Ontario
government and the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINS) on
strategies to enable homes to admit more residents with more complex
care needs but OANHSS has been signalling for some time that the sector
cannot perform this role without additional staffing and
resources.
“While
we recognize the tough fiscal situation the government faces, homes are
already having serious difficulty meeting the most basic care needs of
existing residents while at the same time trying to effectively deal
with very complex situations such as mental health issues and aggressive
behaviours. What we need is comprehensive planning to put homes in a
position to contribute to an ALC solution, not short-term fixes,”
said Rubin.
Adding
significantly to this challenge is the cost for homes to meet the new
requirements in the Long Term Care Homes Act, which comes into
force on July 1. Without additional funding, homes will have no option
but to reduce current care and service levels to meet these new
demands.
OANHSS is also
looking for fulfillment of the promise made by the McGuinty government
for additional nursing and personal support worker staff in its 2008-09
Budget.
OANHSS is the
provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long
term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include municipal
and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes, seniors'
housing projects and community service agencies. Member organizations
operate over 27,000 long term care beds and over 5,000 seniors' housing
units across the province.
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For further information,
contact:
Debbie Humphreys
(W) 905-851-8821 ext 233
(C) 416-553-7401
