Voters encouraged to press candidates for their views
Now that the writ has dropped for a snap election in Ontario, key provincial and national seniors’ advocacy groups are urgently calling for the next session of the legislature to approve increased funding to ensure the growing demand for home care is addressed.
Home Care Ontario has issued an appeal for further investments that would provide over 16 million more hours of home care for seniors and their families across the province. In addition, the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) has officially endorsed Home Care Ontario’s call for further funding.
For candidates in this election, the message is simple – it is paramount that all political parties prioritize care and supports for seniors, including significantly expanding the amount of home care available to help them stay safe and healthy at home.
Gaye Moffett, Founder, President and CEO of GEM Health Care Services, sits on the board of Home Care Ontario. “Home care wasn’t even mentioned in budgets 30 years ago but now it’s a hot button issue,” she says. “There isn’t one Ontarian that doesn’t want to stay at home as long as they can but without increased funding, home care services will be unattainable for many.”
Additional funding is required to support the ‘home first’ approach which experts agree is a win-win, improving quality of life for older adults while efficiently utilizing healthcare resources. By prioritizing home care over hospital or long-term care stays, seniors’ dignity and quality of life is preserved. The requested funding will support Home Care Ontario’s recommendations to support and grow the home care sector, which include:
• Increasing the number of visits and hours of home care provided by 10% a year for the next three years
• Investing $624 million over three years to improve compensation and help the sector attract and retain home care staff
• Providing specialized training and mentorship to retain skilled home care staff
• Enhancing the Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit and remove the existing barriers to support increased Home Care services for Ontarians.
“This is an issue that affects everyone,” notes Moffett. “Whatever stage you are at, you should be concerned about the future of home care and you need to remember that the government is not going to fully take care of you or loved ones’ financial needs as the requirement for care services increases.”
Moffett says it is her sincere hope that the next Ontario government agrees with this request for funding that has been widely endorsed. “I hope to see it get put into the next provincial budget for approval and that money begins to flow promptly, as has not always happened in the past,” she says. “We are counting on the government to do the right thing for seniors.”
Moffett and her counterparts encourage all voters to raise the issue with candidates in their provincial ridings. For more information, visit www.homenothallways.ca or contact us at GEM Health Care Services.