Government invests in New Beds and Increased Staffing in Ontario Long-Term Care Homes

On November 7, 2017, the Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care announced that they will be adding 5,000 new long-term care beds over the next four years, and 30,000 LTC beds over the next decade.  These new beds are in addition to the 30,000 beds already being redeveloped. The government will be prioritizing new beds that can serve specific cultural and ethnic needs including the unique needs of Indigenous populations.

Also announced is new funding of an additional 15 million more hours of nursing, personal support, and therapeutic care every year for long-term care residents. The average of direct care per resident, per day will increase to four hours, “once fully phased in”.  No details were provided about timing.  The government states this investment will also ensure that every long-term care home in the province has staff with specialized training in behavioural supports and in palliative and end-of-life care.

These investments are part of a new seniors strategy called Aging with Confidence: Ontario's Action Plan for Seniors, which proposes to address many of the priorities of seniors and their families. In the strategy document, the government notes that the details of implementation of both the new beds and expanded staffing require further discussions with the sector. In particular, the government intends to provide additional detail on the staffing plan as part of the 2018 Budget.

Implications for Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists bring many skills and important perspectives to the long-term care home sector.  The diversity of roles is articulated in OSOT's Occupational Therapy in Long-Term Care​ Homes resource.  

OSOT has been engaged in active advocacy since the announcement of physiotherapy funding reform in the LTCH sector in 2013 which disrupted access to occupational therapy services.  As government consults on the expansion of staffing resources, OSOT will continue to be an assertive voice to the need to re-instate meaningful access to OT services.  OSOT has developed several positioning documents on this issue:

• Occupational Therapy in Long-Term Care Homes:  strategies to achieve capacity to meet resident needs, March 2015​
• Occupational Therapy and Dementia Care in Ontario Long-Term Care Homes, February 2017
  

Occupational therapists are encouraged to participate in the public consultation on capacity and staffing promoting the needs occupational therapists can address.

OSOT's Long-Term Care Homes Team continues to work to represent and serve OTs working in this sector.  Interested to get involved or to communicate with this Team?  Contact Team Chair Joanne Kular.