Seniors in need of long-term care to benefit from landmark 2018 Budget
TORONTO, March 28, 2018 /CNW/ - The Ontario Long Term Care Association is applauding the government's recent commitments to enhance long-term care services, as presented through its 2018 Budget, A Plan for Care and Opportunity, heralding it as a landmark budget that will meaningfully impact the lives of Ontario seniors with complex medical conditions.
"Our sector has never before seen a budget commitment of this magnitude" said Candace Chartier, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Long Term Care Association. "We are very pleased to see such a concerted effort focused on improving the way our homes deliver care; commitments that we believe will have a lasting and profound impact on the lives of seniors and the care staff who support them."
The commitments introduced today include efforts to significantly increase access, through the addition of 30,000 more beds, but also a range of other offerings that will have an immense impact within every long-term care home. These include a recommitment to achieve an average of four hours of care for every resident in long-term care, bolstered by a reaffirmation (inclusive of added funding) to help ensure every home is provided with added resources to better care for residents with dementia.
"With over 90 per cent of residents in long-term care demonstrating some level of cognitive impairment, these investments are crucially needed. We are elated to see the province coming through on its promise to ensure every home has a team in place to help better manage our residents' conditions," added Chartier.
The province also introduced a momentous commitment for food and nutrition, growing funding in this area by six per cent and committing itself to similar growth in 2019/20. It also outlined a range of other commitments designed to help keep residents safe and improve the administration of quality care, including an $8 million equipment fund to help better prevent falls and injuries from happening in Ontario's long-term care homes.
Finally, the province introduced a small homes sustainability fund, which the Association has advocated for, focused on ensuring homes with less than 64 beds were provided added resources to help ensure their continued viability.
"Overall, this budget is the friendliest budget our sector has ever seen. It will have an overwhelming impact on the long-term care sector," concluded Chartier. "These commitments will enable better access for thousands of seniors and will usher in new and improved programming for every long-term care home – services that will go a long way in helping our homes better care for our parents and grandparents."
About the Ontario Long Term Care Association
The Ontario Long Term Care Association is the largest association of long-term care providers in Canada and the only association that represents the full mix of long-term care operators – private, not-for-profit, charitable, and municipal. We represent nearly 70% of Ontario's 630 long-term care homes, located in communities across the province. Our members provide care and accommodation services to more than 70,000 residents annually.
SOURCE Ontario Long Term Care Association
Adrian Kupesic, Director, Public Affairs and Governance, (647) 256-3492, [email protected]
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