Ontario falls short by a small margin in delivering the goal of four hours daily care for long-term care residents.
The Ontario government is working diligently to address staffing issues in long-term care (LTC) homes, with a focus on increasing direct care hours for residents, particularly in rural and remote regions.
One of the key strategies being implemented is the investment of $4.9 billion over four years to boost the number of nurses, personal support workers (PSWs), and other health professionals working in LTC homes. This funding supports recruitment and retention efforts across the province, acknowledging the need for more targeted efforts in northern and rural areas where reliance on temporary staff remains high.
To meet the growing demand, the government is also constructing a record number of new and upgraded LTC beds. The aim is to add 30,000 net new LTC beds by 2028, supported by the Long-Term Care Home Capital Funding Program (CFP). This program provides funding to operators to build or redevelop beds to current standards with government approval.
Addressing the unique challenges of rural and remote communities is another priority. Recognizing the competition for staff from other health sectors, such as primary care, home care, and hospitals, stakeholders like AdvantAge Ontario are advocating for equalizing pay across the health sector to prevent workers from leaving LTC for better pay elsewhere.
Improvements in staffing models are also being considered. Studies recommend the implementation of province-wide nurse-to-patient ratios tailored to care units, which could improve staffing sustainability and patient outcomes. While this initiative is more general for Ontario’s healthcare system, it has implications for LTC staffing quality.
NDP long-term care critic Wayne Gates has proposed that the government should release quarterly staffing reports to show which homes are meeting the standards and which aren't. This transparency could help identify areas that need more support.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Liberal long-term care critic Tyler Watt suggests the government should focus more on retention strategies instead of just recruitment. The government has surpassed the target for care by allied health professionals but has not met the third-year or final target for direct care amid staffing challenges.
The head of the association representing Ontario's non-profit homes considers ensuring an average of nearly four hours of daily direct care for residents as a great achievement. However, the challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified care staff are affecting the government's ability to meet the needs of Ontario's aging population.
Stakeholders urge equal pay and further targeted measures to stabilize the workforce in these hard-to-serve areas. The government continues its efforts to increase the amount of direct care residents receive in LTC homes, with a focus on rural and remote communities where the need is greatest.
[1] Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care. (n.d.). Long-Term Care Homes Capital Funding Program. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/page/long-term-care-homes-capital-funding-program [2] Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care. (n.d.). Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/07l08 [3] Ontario Ministry of Health. (n.d.). Registered Nurses' Act, 1907. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/07r8 [4] Ontario Ministry of Health. (n.d.). Personal Support Workers Act, 2000. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/00p17 [5] Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care. (2021, December 13). Long-Term Care Homes Capital Funding Program. Retrieved from https://news.ontario.ca/mltc/en/2021/12/long-term-care-homes-capital-funding-program.html
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