Home Care Ontario welcomes report on home and community care

TORONTO, March 12, 2015 /CNW/ - Home Care Ontario congratulates the Expert Group on Home & Community Care on the release of its report, Bringing Care Home, today.  The members of the Expert Group underscored the importance of the client and family as the basis of high quality care.  The Association is pleased with the recommendations and the approach. 

"The recommendations provide a framework for profound transformation that will improve the home and community care sector," said Sue VanderBent, Home Care Ontario CEO.  "We are particularly pleased with the call for a Home and Community Care Charter and for a public scorecard." 

Home Care Ontario applauds the recommendations for increased investment in respite for families and for increased flexibility at the LHIN level to address local needs.  The Expert Group noted the importance of services not funded by government to individuals and the need for the system to recognize this contribution as part of the circle of care.  This is vital to effectively supporting Ontario's aging population to remain independent at home.

"We were very pleased to hear the voice of the individual and their family in this report," said Christine Reno, Board Chair.  "As service providers, we have intimate and direct knowledge of the needs of families, and it is a testament to the Expert Group that they were able to capture those messages from so many Ontarians."

In developing its recommendations the Expert Group identified many of the successful innovations within home care across the province.  Home Care Ontario welcomes the suggestion that these be broadly implemented in order to improve patient experience, quality and choice.

Home Care Ontario is prepared and willing to actively participate in moving forward with our health system partners to address the Expert Group's recommendations and will continue to provide a leadership role for the sector.

About Home Care Ontario
Home Care Ontario, the voice of home care in Ontario™, is a member-based organization with a mandate to promote growth and development of the home care sector through advocacy, knowledge transfer, and member service.  Home Care Ontario members include those engaged in and/or supportive of home-based health care.  In Ontario, service provider organizations are responsible for providing nursing care, home support services, personal care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, dietetics, speech language therapy and medical equipment and supplies in the home to individuals of all ages.   An estimated 58 million hours of publicly and privately purchased home care service is provided annually across the province. 

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SOURCE Ontario Home Care Association

Susan D. VanderBent, CEO, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]