Media Advisory - Policy experts, advocates and lawmakers to discuss home and
community care solutions at OCSA Conference

TORONTO, Oct. 18 /CNW/ - From Queen's Park to family homes across the province, Ontarians are grappling with how to compassionately and cost effectively care for an aging population. More than 6,000 seniors and people with disabilities are on waiting list for services that will allow them to remain comfortably in their homes, rather than in an unnecessary and publicly expensive hospital or long-term-care bed.

The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) - representing the province's non-profit home and community support agencies - is contributing to this discussion by bringing together policy experts, advocates and lawmakers to consider innovative solutions to address this challenge. OCSA's annual conference and joint symposium with the Canadian Research Network for Care in the Community (CRNCC) runs from Tuesday, October 19^th - Thursday October 21^st and is being held at the Hilton Suites and Conference Center, 8500 Warden Avenue in Markham. Some highlights of the conference include:

October 19th

• 8:30 am - Opening remarks - Minister of Health and Long-Term-Care Deb Matthews
• 8:45 - Keynote address - Dr. Michael Rachlis, nationally recognized health policy expert
  Why is it Taking So Long to Establish a Community-Based Health Care System in Ontario?
• 3:45 pm - Panel discussion with MPPs on the future of home and community care.

The full OCSA conference agenda and speaker biographies can be viewed here:
http://www.ocsa.on.ca/Conference/2010/assets/OCSA2010ConfBroch_FINAL.pdf

October 21^st

OCSA-CRNCC day-long symposium (9am - 4pm)

Whatever happened to Aging at Home? Shifting policy sands in Ontario and beyond.

This event brings together local, national and international experts to ask tough questions for the future of the community support sector and for health system sustainability:

• What are the major triumphs and trials of Aging at Home in Ontario?
• What's worked well "on the ground, what hasn't and what are the key lessons learned?
• Why has the community support agenda proved so vulnerable to changing politics?
• What can be done to convince policy-makers that investments in community supports are investments in health system sustainability?

The full symposium agenda and speaker biographies can be viewed here: http://www.ocsa.on.ca/Conference/2010/assets/2010%20CRNCC%20OCSA%20Symposium%20Agenda%20Oct%206.pdf

The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) is the voice of home and community support sector. Across the province, more than a million people receive home care and community support services each year. Services such as in-home nursing, therapy and personal support, Meals on Wheels®, adult/Alzheimer day programs, transportation to medical appointments, supportive housing and attendant services for persons with disabilities are important, cost-effective measures that prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature institutionalization. More information can be found at: www.ocsa.on.ca.

For further information:

or to arrange interviews with please contact:

Christopher Holcroft
Principal, Empower Consulting for OCSA
[email protected]
416-996-0767