October 2, 2024 – Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC) is on Parliament Hill this week for an annual Advocacy Day, calling on the federal government to prioritize the nearly 200,000 residents across Canada who call long-term care their home. Representing nine provincial long-term care associations and seven long-term care providers, CALTC is urging the federal government to:
- Support long-term care system readiness by investing in the resources needed to improve operations, human resources capacity and data collection;
- Broaden and extend immigration programs to welcome qualified health professionals looking to work specifically in the long-term care sector; and
- Continue to provide greater support and investment for infrastructure and development in long-term care.
“Our conversations with policymakers are focused on building the infrastructure and workforce necessary to ensure long-term care services can support the growing needs of Canadians,” said Jodi Hall, CEO of the Canadian Association for Long Term Care. “The federal government has a pivotal role in driving these changes and we look forward to working together to enable a sector that is prepared to meet these challenges.”
These discussions come at a critical time as Canada faces growing demand for long-term care. In the next few years, 1 in 5 Canadians will be over the age of 65. It is estimated that Canada will require 454,000 long-term care beds by 2035, an increase of 127%, and 50 per cent of people over the age of 65 living in Canada will require some kind of long-term care in their lifetime.
“Long-term care provides more than just health care; it is a critical part of Canada’s social fabric, providing essential services to vulnerable and complex populations,” said Bob Breen, Chair of the Board for the Canadian Association for Long Term Care. “To build a sustainable long-term care system we can’t always be playing catch up. We must recognize long-term care as its own distinct entity and come up with dedicated solutions to address human resources, infrastructure and technological advancements to ensure all Canadians have access to the quality care they need.”
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About the Canadian Association for Long Term Care
The Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC) is committed to ensuring resident-centred care services are delivered to Canadians across the country when they can no longer live at home. CALTC is the leading voice for long-term care in Canada and our vision is a health system in which quality, safe and comfortable long-term care is available to all. We invite you to learn more at www.caltc.ca.
Media Contact
Nancy Dale, Communications
Nancy.Dale@santishealth.ca
