FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Liberals break promise to 75,000 residents of long term care homes

TORONTO (March 22, 2007) – With virtually nothing in the provincial budget for long term care, the McGuinty government will be headed into the next election without having fulfilled its pledge to the 75,000 seniors who live in these homes.

“For long term care, the cupboard is bare,” said Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS).

“Unless the Liberals have a sudden conversion on the way to the polls on October 10, they will have to explain another broken promise – a promise made to long term care residents and their families across this province.”

During the last election campaign, the Liberals pledged a $6,000 increase in annual care funding for every long term care resident. But after four provincial budgets, the funding increase has totaled only about $2,300.

For the McGuinty government to deliver on its promise, it will have to inject an additional $277 million into the operating budgets of long term care homes over the next six months.

“In the lead up to the last election, the Liberals identified increased funding for long term care – funding that would go directly to improving the level of care of residents – as one of their top priorities. Today, they failed to keep their word. This is a huge disappointment, especially after the Liberals promised after coming to power that they would lead a revolution in long term care,” stated Rubin.

While the budget contained $14 million for the hiring of nurses in long term care, the reality is that with no money to keep up with inflation, homes will be forced to lay off staff. “Homes have been given about 50 cents a day more to hire new nurses, but we needed over $2 a day just to keep the ones we have. We will be laying off three nurses to hire one,” said Rubin.

For years, OANHSS has been urging the province to put more money into the care and services that directly benefit residents so that some of their most basic needs are being met in a timely manner. And with increasing public attention focused on the sector – including the Casa Verde inquest, media stories about homes and staff being stretched to the limit, growing awareness about the inadequate funding provided to feed residents (currently $5.46 per day per resident) – there was an expectation that the Liberal government would really take action on these issues.

“We thought they got it, that they understood how impossible the situation has become,” said Rubin. “But their lack of response suggests otherwise.”

Unable to improve care levels for residents because of inadequate funding, homes are now facing a further financial squeeze as the Liberal government moves to enact the Long-Term Care Homes Act. Bill 140 will place a whole new set of regulatory demands on the sector without providing the financial means to meet them.

“This will result in even more staff time being devoted to non-care functions. And ultimately that means residents end up getting short-changed by government,” Rubin stated.

Homes are being swamped by increased costs, new regulatory requirements, and lack of adequate funding. Operating costs are rising – everything from utility to wage rates are up. Government continues to demand more. Yet funding falls further behind.

“Sadly, this budget will mean layoffs and service cuts,” noted Rubin.

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:

Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes & Services for Seniors
7050 Weston Road, Suite 700, Woodbridge, Ontario L4L 8G7
(P) 905-851-8821
(F) 905-851-0744

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OANHSS members include not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors in Ontario.
Members include municipal and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes,
seniors' housing projects and community service agencies.