Ontario’s Long-Term Care Targets: Progress Amid Staffing Challenges

Overview

Ontario’s government recently reported that it has not fully met its ambitious targets for providing long-term care residents with an average of four hours of daily direct care by March 2025. While the targets were not achieved, significant progress has been noted amidst ongoing staffing challenges.

Key Highlights

• Legislative Background: In 2021, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government enacted a law to increase the amount of direct care residents receive from nurses and personal support workers (PSWs), as well as from allied health professionals.

• Performance Metrics:
  • Interim Success: The government successfully met its interim targets in the two years following the law’s enactment, starting from three hours of care.
  • Current Status: The latest report revealed that the average direct care received was three hours and 49 minutes, equating to 95.5% of the desired four-hour target.

Staffing Issues

The report underscores significant staffing difficulties that have hindered progress towards the set goals:

• Recruitment Challenges:

  • The province is facing issues in recruiting and retaining qualified staff, particularly in rural and remote communities.
  • Increased competition for experienced staff from primary care, home care, and hospitals has exacerbated the problem.
• Plans for Improvement:
  • Efforts to build 30,000 net new long-term care beds by 2028 will require an even larger workforce to meet growing demands.

Positive Developments

Despite the challenges, industry leaders have described the progress as noteworthy:

• Achieved Averages: Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario, applauded the efforts to approach the four-hour target. "[…] considering the variability in health human resources across the sector, nearing the target is a great achievement," she stated.

• Investment in Staffing: The government has allocated $4.9 billion over four years to increase the number of nurses and PSWs, which has shown positive results in care levels.

Areas of Continued Focus

To further enhance long-term care, the focus areas include:

• Retention Strategies:

  • Advocates for the sector, including members from AdvantAge Ontario, emphasize the need for better pay and conditions to retain skilled staff.
  • Ongoing conversations about wage disparities, particularly for registered practical nurses (RPNs) compared to PSWs.
• Balanced Care: The provincial targets also included a goal for allied health professionals, exceeding the goal of 36 minutes of care by achieving an average of 45 minutes last year.

Conclusion

The challenge of providing adequate long-term care in Ontario remains complex, but the steps taken to enhance staffing and increase direct care hours reflect ongoing commitment. With continued focus on recruitment and retention strategies, the government aims to further close the gap and optimize care for residents.

For ongoing updates and resources about Ontario’s long-term care initiatives, visit Ontario.ca and check local health service organizations to stay informed on community efforts and improvements.