It's Friday May 10, 2024, this is the week in elder care news.

Temiskaming Lodge and Extendicare Countryside long-term care homes open in Northern Ontario

Temiskaming Lodge and Extendicare Countryside both celebrated their grand openings this week, bringing a combined 384 beds to Northern Ontario.

Temiskaming Lodge serves culturally diverse seniors including Francophone and Indigenous residents. The home has access to translators, bilingual staff members, and partnerships with local cultural centres to deliver culturally-specific themed meals and programming.

Extendicare Countryside’s eight resident home areas consist of 20 private rooms and six standard rooms, for a total of 32 residents each. Resident care offerings include a designated Memory Care Unit, delivering high-quality, person-centered care for residents with dementia by creating spaces that provide comfort and warmth.

Both of these openings are part of Ontario's plan to build 58,000 new and upgraded beds across the province.

Temiskaming Lodge Press Release.

Extendicare Countryside Press Release.

Family says $8,400 fine because of Bill 7 will not be paid

Michele Campeau says the $8,400 bill her mom, Ruth Poupard, has received related to Bill-7 from Hôtel-Dieu Grace is a "scare tactic" that she's not falling for. Ruth continues to wait in the hospital for a bed at one of the five long-term-care homes the family wants. Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare CEO Bill Marra said Bill 7 is important legislation and necessary to free up essential resources.

You can find the full story HERE.

Retirement home resident overbilled thousands of dollars

Chantal Monk discovered she was being charged thousands of dollars by Chartwell Rockcliffe Retirement Residence for services being provided through the public health system. The money has since been refunded and the home has apologized for what it characterized as a clerical error. The Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority determined the home didn't intentionally overbill Chantal.

From the article:

Wayne Hillier, deputy registrar of the province’s Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA), in his ruling blamed poor communications and lack of consistent documentation by staff, which led to a belief by the family of a resident that the home had intentionally overcharged them.

You can read more about this story HERE.

In April 2024 the C.D. Howe Institute published a 32-page Commentary – Scenarios for Seniors’ Care: Future Challenges, Current Gaps and Strategies to Address Them. You can find the full commentary HERE. In this blog we will summarize some of the key points.

Just the highlights

• $1 of every $4 of provincial healthcare spending goes to caring for people over 75 years-old
• A 13% reduction in ALC (Alternate Level of Care) days would be sufficient to prevent hospital bed shortages
• About 30% of new residents moving into long-term care could be delayed or prevented from having to move with expanded home & community care
• About half of seniors currently living in retirement homes have needs that would qualify them for public home & community care
• It costs tax payers less if seniors receive advanced care services at home, or in retirement homes, than in long-term care or hospitals
• Ontario should look to Quebec, where there are more senior care spaces, lower vacancy, lower rent, and they provide more support to senior households through tax credits

Scenarios for Seniors' Care

Canada’s healthcare system is poised to face significant challenges due to the country’s rapidly aging population. The Commentary by the C.D. Howe Institute, Scenarios for Seniors’ Care: Future Challenges, Current Gaps and Strategies to Address Them by Rosalie Wyonch examines these challenges, explores existing gaps, and proposes strategies to meet the needs of the growing senior population.

Key issues include a surge in demand for seniors’ care due to the aging baby boomer population, coupled with constrained fiscal resources and insufficient capacity in retirement and long-term care (LTC) homes.

Challenges with Alternate Level of Care (ALC) Patients

ALC patients are individuals occupying hospital beds even though their care needs could be met in alternative settings, such as LTC homes or through home care. ALC patients represent a significant challenge to Canada’s healthcare system, occupying between 12.7% and 27.5% of acute-care beds across provinces and accounting for 15.5% of all acute-care bed-days.

High Costs and Inefficiencies

• The cost of caring for ALC patients in hospitals ranges from $730 to $1,200 per day.
• In comparison, LTC costs taxpayers about $225 to $253 per day.
• Hospitals are ill-suited to handle the long-term care needs of seniors and provide suboptimal environments, often contributing to health declines.

Systemic Barriers to Discharge

• A lack of available LTC beds and inadequate home and community care services prolongs hospital stays for ALC patients.
• Physician incentives and risk aversion can favor longer hospital stays, as clinicians prefer to avoid complications related to insufficient post-discharge care.

Opportunities to Improve ALC Patient Care

Invest in Home and Community Care

• Expanding home care services and increasing subsidies can prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and expedite discharges.
• Support services can help seniors stay in their homes longer.

Increase LTC and Retirement Home Capacity

• Building more LTC spaces and expanding public and private retirement homes can relieve pressure on hospitals.
• Enhanced tax credits or subsidies can improve access.

Enhance Informal Caregiver Support

• Financial assistance and respite services can reduce caregiver burnout and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations.
• Tax credits and training programs for caregivers can help.

Home and Community Care: Gaps and Recommendations

Canada's investment in home and community care is lower than that of other OECD countries, contributing to gaps in service and unmet needs.

(OCED is Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and includes the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, South Korea, USA, and more)

Unmet Needs

• About 6.1% of Canadian households receive formal home care services, while 2.8% have unmet home care needs.
• Unmet needs are highest in British Columbia and Ontario (3.1%).

Funding Sources and Costs

• Government sources cover 52.2% of home care services, while 27% are paid out-of-pocket.
• Nursing care services are more likely to be government-funded than personal support services.

Regional Variations in Care

Ontario

• Public home care services are delivered based on assessments by health professionals.
• Third-party agencies handle service delivery.

Quebec

• Seniors can access discounted home help through the Financial Assistance Program for Domestic Help Services.
• Rent in retirement homes can be partially eligible for tax credits.

British Columbia

• Home care services are subsidized based on eligibility and income level.
• Personal care and household tasks are included in home support services.

Alberta

• Home care is narrowly focused on medical support, offering limited assistance for household tasks.

Strategic Recommendations for Home and Community Care

Invest in Public and Private Services

• Increase investment in public home care services while enabling private sector expansion.
• Vouchers, tax credits, and subsidies can help make private services accessible.

Reduce Informal Caregiver Burden

• Provide respite services and financial assistance to informal caregivers.
• Foster innovative technology to support seniors and caregivers.

Tailor Solutions by Region

• Replicate successful provincial models, such as Quebec's tax credits, to improve accessibility in other provinces.

Tax Credits for Seniors’ Care

The report emphasizes that tax credits can help make senior care more accessible and affordable. However, Ontario lags behind Quebec in providing comprehensive tax credits.

Quebec's Model

Home Support Services Tax Credit

• People over 70 can claim up to 38% of eligible expenses (up to $7,020).
• Eligible expenses include personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, and nursing.
• Rent in retirement homes is partially eligible if it includes supportive services.

Independent Living Tax Credit

• Seniors can claim 20% of expenses for home modifications to improve accessibility.

Respite Services Credit

• Caregivers can claim 30% of expenses for respite services.

Ontario's Model

Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit

• Seniors over 70 can claim 25% of eligible expenses up to $1,500.
• • Eligible expenses include personal support, assistive devices, and medical equipment.

Federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit

• Seniors can claim up to $10,000 for accessibility modifications.

Recommendations for Ontario's Tax Credits

1. Adopt Quebec’s Refundable Tax Credit Model

• Include rent deduction in retirement homes for services like housekeeping and personal care.
• Raise the reimbursement rate to provide comprehensive support.

2. Expand Eligible Services

• Include more services like personal care, nursing, meal preparation, and housekeeping.

3. Increase Overall Support

• Raise the value of tax credits to reflect Quebec's support levels.

This is an example from the C.D. Howe Commentary that highlights the difference in tax credits available for Quebec seniors and Ontario seniors.

Key Statistics on Senior Households and Spending Patterns

Understanding the economic challenges faced by seniors is crucial to shaping effective policies.

Household Composition and Spending

• 13.5% of Canadian households include a senior over the age of 75.
• 42% of senior households consist of a single person, and 35% are couples.
• Average household spending is $14,440 on housing and $3,260 on healthcare.

Affordability Challenges

• Below-median income senior households spend 46% of their expenditures on shelter and food.

Housing Adequacy and Core Need

• Senior households have higher rates of inadequate, unsuitable, or unaffordable housing.
• In Ontario, 52.3% of senior renters face housing challenges, and 23.9% live in core need housing.

Conclusion

The report Scenarios for Seniors’ Care: Future Challenges, Current Gaps and Strategies to Address Them provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in senior care. Addressing these challenges will require strategic investments in home and community care, expanding long-term care and retirement home capacity, and leveraging tax credits to make senior care more accessible. By taking a proactive approach, Canada can better meet the needs of its growing senior population while ensuring fiscal sustainability and a high quality of life for all seniors.

It's May 3, 2024, this is the week in elder care news.

Seasons Cambridge resident Joan Tomlinson kicks off Strides for Sick Kids

Joan Thomlinson is aiming to walk 98 laps around the outdoor walking track at Seasons Cambridge while raising money for Sick Kids. Joan calls it 'Strides for Sick Kids'. Last year Joan walked 97 laps and raised $1600. Joan turned 98 this year, and she is aiming to raise $2098 by walking 98 laps. Good luck Joan!

Read more about Strides for Sick Kids HERE.

HERE is a link to Joan's Strides for Sick Kids fundraising page.

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare proposed a Hospital Reactivation unit to free up hospital beds

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare has proposed a Hospital Reactivation Unit to free up hospital beds, while also improving quality of care for ALC patients. An ALC patient could be someone in the hospital waiting for long-term care. ALC patients take up 30-50% of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare acute care beds. Key elements of the Reactivation Unit include a dining room for communal meals, access to a gym or rehabilitation staff for physical therapy, and activity spaces like TV lounges for recreation.

Learn more about Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare's plan HERE.

The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence calls for caregiver compensation, respite, home care, and improved workplace policies

The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence released a report on the results of their survey of 3,100 caregivers. (Click HERE to read the full report) Respondents provided an average 5-hours of care per day. 50% of caregivers experienced financial stress in the past year, and one quarter reported poor mental health. The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence says the report highlights the need for compensation for caregivers, respite so they can take a break, easily accessible home care, and workplace policies to support people juggling work and care.

Read the full story HERE.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan rolled out today, providing 1.7-million seniors in Canada with dental insurance. What is it, who is eligible, and how do I join?

What is the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

The Canadian Dental Care Plan, or CDCP, is a federal initiative to extend dental insurance to Canadians who don't have private insurance. It covers most dental care such as cleanings, x-rays, fillings, root canals, and dentures. Complex dental services, like crowns and partial dentures, require federal pre-authorization, which will be available in November.

CDCP is free for eligible Canadians, but like private dental insurance, it doesn't necessarily mean a visit to the dentist is free. Depending on your income there may be a co-pay. Also, the dentist may charge rates higher than the CDCP fee, which will come out of your pocket.

Who is eligible for the Candian Dental Care Plan?

To be eligible you need to meet all the following criteria:

• Don't have access to dental insurance
• Have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000
• A Canadian resident for tax purposes
• Filed taxes for 2023

As of today, only seniors 65+ are eligible for CDCP. In June this will extend to people with disabilities and kids under 18, and in 2025 all Canadians will be able to sign up.

Coverage

Coverage is based on something called adjusted family net income. Adjusted family net income is:

Your family net income

minus Any universal child care benefit and registered disability savings plan

plus Any universal child care benefit and registered disability savings plan amounts repaid

From Canada.com:

If your adjusted family next income is:

• less than $70,000 you get 100% of eligible coverage
• $70,000 or more but less than $80,000 you get 60% of eligible coverage
• $80,000 or more but less than $90,000 you get 40% of eligible coverage.

Just because you qualify for 100% of CDCP coverage doesn't necessarily mean a visit to the dentist is free. Oral health care providers may charge more than the CDCP fee. In that case you will be responsible to pay the difference out of pocket.

How do I join the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

To get started you need to apply. Once accepted, you can make an appointment with a dentist, independent hygienist, or denturist. You'll need to check the Provider Search to find an oral health care provider that accepts CDCP. Only about 16% of oral health care providers currently accept CDCP, so there's a chance you will need to find a new dentist. And as a reminder, make sure you ask your oral health provider about any costs that won’t be covered by the plan.

Stressful wait times for long-term care, the provinces plan to fix it, and a new mobile dental care program. It's April 26, 2024, this is the week in elder care news.

Long wait times for long-term care making it difficult on families and seniors

Stories of excessive wait times for long-term care that can jeopardize the health of seniors, and put significant stress on families continue to be reported. Monica Sarabura shared the story of her 93 year-old mother, Theresa, waiting for long-term care. It's not just long wait times, but conflicting information about applying for care, and care options that have been frustrating for Monica and her family. So often the responsibility falls on family caregivers to be the primary source of care while waiting for a bed in long-term care for weeks, months or even years.

Find the full story on The Hamilton Spectator.

Ministry of long-term care fast-tracks construction of new homes

The Ministry of long-term care is trying to open up more beds to ease long wait times, and free up space in our hospitals. Stan Cho, the Minister of Long-Term Care, announced an additional $155-million in funding to fast track the construction of long-term care homes. Eligible projects will receive an additional construction subsidy of up to $35 per bed, per day for 25 years.

Learn more at insauga.com.

Toronto Public Health offers mobile dental care to 2,600 residents

Toronto Public Health delivers smiles with free mobile dental care to long-term care residents. Mayor Olivia Chow announced the mobile dental care program for the 2,600 residents of the 10 long-term care homes operated by the City of Toronto. We love seeing innovative solutions that help provide care to our seniors.

Read more HERE.