Richmond Hill residents to get more direct care as Ontario boosts staffing in LTC

Langstaff Square, Mackenzie Health LTC, Mariann Home among beneficiaries

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 14, 2021
Yoyo Yan

The Ontario government will provide up to $270 million this year to long-term-care homes across the province to increase staffing levels, leading to more direct care for residents.

This includes $1,282,372 for long-term-care homes in Richmond Hill, which is part of the province's commitment to ensure long-term-care residents receive -- on average -- four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25.

It was also announced that as part of the government's plan to fix long-term care, it will bring forward legislation that will enshrine its commitment to four hours of care into law.

These funds will increase care for residents at:

Langstaff Square Care Community will receive up to $569,943 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $3,490,824 annually more than its current funding.

Mackenzie Health Long Term Care Facility will receive up to $491,577 for additional staffing this year. By 2024-2025, the home will receive $3,010,836 annually more than its current funding.

Mariann Nursing Home and Residence will receive up to $220,852 for additional staffing this year. By 2024-2025, the home will receive $1,352,700 annually more than its current funding.

"This funding will allow homes in our community to hire and retain more staff so they can provide more care to residents, every day," said Richmond Hill MPP Daisy Wai. "This is part of our government's plan to hire thousands of new staff over the next four years to ensure those living in long-term care get the high-quality care they need and deserve."

"We know that more qualified staff means more daily care for residents," said Rod Phillips, minister of long-term care. "Hiring more staff is part of our government's plan to fix long-term care and to improve the quality of care residents receive and the quality of life they experience."

Currently, residents receive an average of two hours and 45 minutes of direct care from nurses and personal support workers. This funding will increase the daily average to three hours per resident per day by the end of this fiscal year.

This funding also includes $42.8 million to homes to increase care by allied health-care professionals (such as physiotherapists and social workers) by 10 per cent this year.

The government is investing $4.9 billion over four years to boost direct resident care to an average of four hours daily by increasing care staff by more than 27,000 people.

Hiring thousands of new staff at long-term homes and increasing the amount of care they deliver each year will be made possible by annual funding increases to homes in the amounts of:

$270 million in 2021-22

$673 million in 2022-23

$1.25 billion in 2023-24

$1.82 billion in 2024-25