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Questions to Ask Your Provincial Candidate September 2011- As Ontario heads to an election on October 6, 2011, it is important that we let our candidates know what we expect from them if they are elected. In the words of Michael Rachlis, MD, who spoke at the 2010 annual general meeting of Concerned Friends, “We can afford quality health care. We can't afford poor quality health care.” Dr. Rachlis is a health policy analyst and co-author of a report called The Sustainability of Medicare. Here are six questions to ask your provincial candidate, which we believe address the most pressing challenges facing long-term care. 1. What is being done to reduce the waiting lists for home care (care that is provided to people living in their own homes)? Every year, 10,000 Ontarians are on waiting lists for home care, with average delays ranging from eight to 262 days, according to a recent report by the provincial Auditor General, Jim McCarter. The inefficiency of home care administration is being blamed on a controversial practice of competitive bidding, in which home care providers compete for contracts. This process has resulted in staffing shortages due to low pay, and to a lack of full-time jobs within the home care sector. 2. What is being done to make home care and community care a priority? In Denmark, community care is given priority over residential care. As a result, all kinds of long-term care services are available free of charge, including long-term care homes, personal home care and practical help. All citizens are entitled to receive social services. What a great model! 3. What is being done to shorten the wait for long-term care home placement? The Ontario Health Quality Council reported last year that wait times have tripled since 2005. The average wait for long-term care placement now stands at 105 days. However, one in four people placed in long term care could potentially be cared for in an alternative setting. 4. Will you fight to legislate appropriate staffing levels in long-term care homes, and enforce the standards? Currently, a resident in a long-term care home receives about 2.5 hours of care per day. Considering the increasing complexity of residents' needs, this amount of care is inappropriate for many. 5. What is being done to increase the number of well-trained staff in long-term care homes? The Geriatric and Long Term Care Review Committee, which reports annually to Ontario's chief coroner, has repeatedly called on the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care to provide more staff in long-term care homes. Homes need to engage in staff training at all levels, including physicians, in the care of complex patients. Concerned Friends believes that short staffing and the lack of well-trained staff are the most critical problems facing long-term care, and this has been the case since our organization began in 1980. 6. What is being done to integrate nurse practitioners (NPs) Eleven years ago, the Ontario government provided funding for NPs to work in 20 pilot projects across the province, of which 72 long-term care homes were being serviced. The impact was positive, and revealed an urgent need for NPs to support the shortage of doctors and to support RNs and RPNs. Concerned Friends is encouraged by the announcement of new funding in the Ministry of Health and Long term Care's 2011-2012 budget. The new funding includes the following allocations: • $76.5 million for nursing and personal care as well as programming and support services • $32 million for 800 additional personal support workers • $15 million to address costs associated with implementing new regulation requirements. • $7.4 million to support • $17.4 million to increase the daily food allowance for |