FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Let’s Have A Real Revolution In Long Term Care

OTTAWA (March 15, 2005) – The Ontario government says it wants a revolution in long term care and, during the election, promised $6,000 per resident in new funding. But if that funding is phased in over four years, it will do little more than cover inflation. It will not significantly enhance the quality of life of residents.

“If the government really wants to make a difference in the lives of the frail elderly, it will make long term care one of the highest priorities in the provincial Budget,” says Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS).

Last year, the provincial government raised operating funding to the sector by $110 million or about 3 per cent. At the same time, labour costs at long term care homes rose, on average, 3 per cent or more. Since labour costs account for about 85 per cent of a typical home’s operating expenses, it is hard to cover more than inflation on existing operations.

“We were pleased our homes got what they did, but these small incremental increases are not going to lead to a revolution in long term care,” Rubin noted. ”If we really want to raise the bar, if we want to provide at least 2.75 hours of nursing and personal care to each resident per day, then significant new investment is needed.”

OANHSS is urging the McGuinty government to commit the balance of what it promised – an additional $367 million – in the next fiscal year. Otherwise, many long term care residents will continue to go without the services they require. For example, less than 6 per cent of residents currently receive professional mental health services, even though 65 per cent have Alzheimer disease or some other form of dementia.

Physiotherapy is currently being provided to a relatively small number of residents and generally it is available only in homes that secure these services through Schedule Five clinics that are able to bill OHIP. Most homes do not have the resources to pay for it directly, and Community Care Access Centres can provide only limited access.

Ontario has promised that long-term care residents will continue to receive physiotherapy when it delists these services on March 31, 2005. OANHSS wants not only the current level of funding for residents’ physiotherapy to be maintained, but also expanded so that these services can be provided to any resident who needs them regardless of location.

“These therapy services can make an enormous difference in helping people live as independently as possible,” said Rubin. “We should be striving to ensure that all residents, regardless of location, have equal access, and that the level of service addresses their requirements.”

Another financial pressure is the increasingly complex caseload. Today, the typical resident is more than 80 years old, has multiple chronic illnesses, takes seven medications a day and likely suffers from dementia. An increasing number require special treatments such as chest drainage, feeding tubes and oxygen. Most are transferred from hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and crisis situations in the community.

“We could be doing so much more for these individuals, but it’s not going to happen with 3-per-cent annual increases in funding,” Rubin stated.

OANHSS is also calling for significant new investment in supportive housing and community programs for seniors (e.g. homemaking, respite care, adult day programs, meal programs, and visiting health services). The goal should be to build an integrated continuum of care so that seniors receive the right service, in the right place, at the right time.

In its pre-Budget submission to government, OANHSS also recommended that the province conduct a study every three years to compare levels of service and resources in Ontario’s long term care homes to other jurisdictions. The results should be made publicly available and would help assess the effectiveness of legislation, standards and funding.

OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include municipal and charitable homes for the aged, non-profit nursing homes, seniors’ housing projects and community services agencies. Member organizations operate over 26,000 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.