We have all seen the headlines of Emergency Department closures, loved ones stuck in hospital, and the ever-expanding wait list for long-term care beds. Behind these stories are patients and families struggling to get the care they need in a health care system that is under strain.

And it is about to get worse as the number of seniors in Ontario is set to increase by 650,000 in just the next five years.

time to open the door to more home care

It is clear we must act now before the health care system begins to crumble under the weight of this growing pressure. 

Home care is the answer to helping get people the care they need today and ensuring Ontario’s health care system is ready to meet the looming demographic challenges of tomorrow.

The government has acknowledged the importance of home care and invested over $1 billion to help stabilize the sector after being battered by the pandemic.

The investment has been impactful and resulted in existing home care professionals returning to the sector.

Sue VanderBent, CEO. Home Care Ontario

“The reality is we need to invest more if we are to massively expand our home care workforce to deliver more care where people want it today and tomorrow – at home. ”

An additional $411 million a year for three years would ensure home care is there when we need it by:

  • Improving frontline compensation

    Home care competes with other health settings for PSWs, nurses, therapists and a variety of other frontline health care professionals. We need to be able to offer attractive compensation to ensure these professionals are available to care for people where they want to receive care—in their homes.

  • providing ongoing specialized training and mentoring

    Home health care professionals benefit from ongoing specialized training and mentoring, which is a key way to retain the existing workforce and attract the extra hands needed to meet Ontario’s growing demand for home care.

  • Modernizing home care digital infrastructure

    By modernizing the sector’s digital infrastructure with an emphasis on patient-centred care, more time can be spent caring for patients, leading to an improved patient experience and helping ease the burden on home care professionals.

  • Supporting Family funded Care

    Expand the scope of the Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit to ensure it supports part-time care in the home.

nothing is faster than home care

These investments are also critical because home care can be scaled up faster than any other part of the system. It is the quickest, most effective way we can give our loved ones the care they deserve and relieve the pressure on overcrowded hospitals.

With the right supports including improved compensation, training and education, Ontario can build a modern home care system over the next three years that massively expands the amount of home care seniors receive.