CALTC is disappointed that the latest federal health funding offer to provincial and territorial governments contained no new dedicated funding for long-term care.
These negotiations are a critical opportunity to develop a sustainable funding model for long-term care homes and the residents we care for — governments should not let this opportunity pass.
Our members engaged in the development of the recently released national standards which represent a strong vision for the future of long-term care in Canada. Throughout the development of the standards, we continually raised concerns about the challenges with implementing the standards without additional staff and financial resources. Although the federal government has reiterated its commitment to $3 billion for long-term care over the next five years, this is clearly not enough to ensure the sustainability of the long-term care system.
In 2021, the Parliamentary Budget Office estimated that to increase the number of hours of mandated care in long-term care to an average of four hours daily per resident it would cost $4.3 billion each year. With just one element in the new national standards, we have already exceeded the funding being made available by the government.
If we want to achieve the high standards that have been set, then we need a coordinated response from all levels of government and a real investment in the future of seniors’ care.
As Canada’s population continues to age, long-term care cannot be forgotten during these negotiations. We are calling for the development of a sustainable funding model which provides for appropriate staffing models, up-to-date clinical assessment tools and data software, quality food and nutrition, recreation and social activities, support for family caregivers and all operational supports that allow homes to provide quality long-term care.
