Government Website a Positive Step; But Public Advised to Seek Additional Sources of Information
Government Release & Backgrounder
Public Reporting Website

Toronto, Ontario (November 16, 2004) – The Ontario government’s newly-launched long term care homes website is a step in the right direction to providing better public access to information.

“We have long been advocates for openness and accountability. Our members already report publicly through municipal councils, not-for-profit and charitable boards, and are one of the most transparent sectors in health care,” said Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS).

“We support this provincial initiative because we have always believed that the best consumer is an informed consumer,” Rubin stated.

The website, launched by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, provides statistics on ‘unmet standards’ and ‘verified concerns’ at homes. This information is already posted in each home, along with an action plan that the Ministry has approved to resolve the issue. What is new today is that the information is now centralized, with comparisons to provincial averages, and is available via the Internet.

“While a good first step, our concern is that the government website, taken on its own, may not provide consumers with enough meaningful information,” said Rubin.

OANHSS feels the website should explain the nature of the ‘unmet standards’ and/or ‘verified concerns’ so that consumers are able to identify the level of associated risk. As well, the website should be updated more than once a year (as is currently planned) so that consumers have access to the most recent information since, in many cases, organizations resolve issues and concerns immediately.

OANHSS is pleased to be working with the Ministry and other stakeholders to address some of these concerns. In the interim, the Ministry has agreed to provide links to the websites of individual homes. These links will allow each home to provide additional detail and context with respect to standards and complaints, regularly update the information, and help the public better understand the data.

OANHSS recommends that consumers consider a number of factors, and use a variety of information sources, when choosing a home. For example, they should visit prospective homes and talk to staff, review the results of resident satisfaction surveys, and ask for references from third parties. On its website (www.oanhss.org), OANHSS has posted a suggested list of questions that the public should ask in selecting a home.

“The government website is a work in progress, and people should be careful not to rely on it exclusively in making their decisions,” Rubin added.

OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Its members 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:

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

Comments or questions about our site?
Contact Debbie Humphreys at 905-851-8821 ext. 233
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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.