The Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus (EOWC) released its two-part review of municipally owned and operated long-term care facilities within the region. The report includes five recommendations to the provincial government for dealing with some of the issues and problems for long-term care facilities (LTCs) that have been in the spotlight during the pandemic.
“Long-term care is a key priority for the EOWC, and EOWC Members are vital partners in the delivery of long-term care,” stated EOWC Chair Debbie Robinson. “When I think of long-term care and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our residents and families, we must ensure that systemic issues that have been identified across the sector are addressed. The EOWC has demonstrated that we are a willing partner and are able to provide on-the-ground leadership to implement changes.”
There are 15 LTCs in Eastern Ontario that are owned and operated by municipalities that are EOWC members. These LTCs have a combined total of 2,386 licensed beds for residents living at those facilities because they are seniors or are people in need of long-term specialized care.
Five Recommendations
« The COVID-19 pandemic placed a spotlight on a number of pre-existing challenges that have been pervasive in Ontario’s long-term care sector for many years, » stated the EOWC report brief. “The EOWC is committed to working closely with the province and other key stakeholders in order to create a world-class long-term care system.”
The EOWC’s five recommendations for improving LTCs include increased direct care funding for the facilities to meet the provincial care model goal; changing to a per-bed funding formula “to increase clarity, efficiency, and transparency” of the funding process; increase provincial capital funding and make it more predictable for municipal budget planning for LTCs, and provide ongoing capital maintenance aid; promote and support resource sharing between LTCs; and improve the long-term care processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
EOWC officials presented the report to Merrilee Fullerton, long-term care minister, for discussion during the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) virtual conference, January 25 and 26. The report is available on the EOWC website at http://www.eowc.org/en/economic-development-sustainability/economic-briefing-notes.aspx.