New Equipment Funding Benefits LTC Residents & Staff

New Equipment Funding Benefits Long Term Care Residents And Staff

Toronto, Ontario (February 9, 2005) - OANHSS applauds the Ontario government’s announcement of new equipment funding to improve resident care and employee health and safety in long term care homes.

“Our goal is to provide the best possible care for our residents in a safe and dignified manner and to do everything we can to ensure a healthy work environment for our staff,” said Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors. “This investment is a great initiative and will go a long way to helping us achieve that goal.”

Included in today’s announcement is $60 million for mechanical lifts and funding for specialized equipment to increase the safety and comfort of residents in long term care homes and to support people living in the community.

“Mechanical lifts are a key element of care delivery in our homes,” added Rubin. “But at a cost of about $5,000 each they are difficult to acquire. Our homes have typically been high touch, not high tech. This funding will bring in equipment that is critical to modernize our sector.”

“When you consider that more than 70% of residents in long term care homes require assistance from one or two staff members to go about their daily lives, and that the rate of musculoskeletal injuries among staff in long term care homes was twice that of workers in hospitals in 2003, you can quickly see the need for new and upgraded equipment in our sector,” said Rubin.

“Safe and proper use of equipment is essential,” Rubin noted. We commend the government for including funding to train staff on the use of the new lifts as part of this announcement. This was an important requirement for our members.”

OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Its member facilities operate over 26,000 long term care beds and more than 5,000 seniors' housing units in Ontario.

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For further information, contact:

Debbie Humphreys

OANHSS

905-851-8821 ext 233

C	ontact OANHSS

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.