OHA Applauds Provincial Government’s Investment in Community Health Care Services
Ontario Hospital Association
200 Front Street West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3L1
Tel: (416) 205-1345 Fax: (416) 205-1360
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Toronto – Today the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) welcomed the Government of Ontario’s announcement of a three-year, $700 million “Aging at Home” strategy to transform community health care services and better meet the needs of a growing and aging population.
“Today’s announcement means that patients, particularly elderly patients, will have greater access to the services they need, when and where they need them,” said Hilary Short, President and CEO of the OHA. “This key strategy has the potential, over time, to ease the current pressures on Ontario’s acute care hospitals.”
According to the details of the announcement, the Government of Ontario will invest $702 million in the Aging at Home Strategy, which will include:
• $3,000,000 for First-Year Planning for Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs);
• $40,000,000 for an Assistive Devices Program Funding Increase (mobility aids);
• $66,000,000 for Provincial Priorities; and
• $593,000,000 allocated to LHINs
The investment will help improve the way services are delivered and provide more equitable access to health care by matching the needs of the local senior population with the appropriate support services. These services could include enhanced home care and community support services like meals, transportation, shopping, snow shoveling, friendly home calling, adult day programs, homemaking services and caregiver supports. Providing comprehensive lifestyle assistance and community-based health care to those individuals who need it could keep them healthier and living independently, and prevent early or unnecessary admission to hospital.
Over the past number of months, Ontario’s hospitals have been facing the growing challenge of being unable to discharge patients in need of alternate levels of care (ALC) in a timely fashion, because of a lack of health care services and supportive services available elsewhere, including in the community. This has caused the current congestion in Ontario’s hospitals, particularly in emergency departments.
In response to these issues, the OHA made ALC a key component of its Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, and repeated its call for the creation of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that elderly patients could receive the care they need outside of acute care hospitals following the release of the 2007 Ontario Budget in March.
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For further information:
OHA Public Affairs
416-205-1371