Staffing shortages hitting beleaguered Ontario home-care sector, organization says
An organization representing Ontario home-care providers says the same factors leading to staffing shortages throughout the workforce have left the already beleaguered sector in crisis.
Home Care Ontario says that before the COVID-19 pandemic, providers fulfilled requests for care 95 per cent of the time.
As of Dec. 31, 2021, the agency says, that number had dropped to just 56 per cent.
Home Care Ontario says some 4,000 nurses have left the home-care sector since the onset of the pandemic.
It says the situation is even more dire given the high number of staff absences as workers are exposed to or infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The organization says the shortage is also putting added strain on Ontario's hospital system, as the latest numbers from the province show 582 patients would be eligible to leave hospital with publicly funded home care, were the resources available.
"We're being deluged with calls and we do not have the staff to respond," said Sue VanderBent, CEO of Home Care Ontario. "There are no longer enough nurses and personal support workers in the system to provide people with the help they need at home."
The organization said staff in the sector are paid less than their equivalents in other parts of the health-care system, though they perform similar work.
For example, personal support workers are paid at least $5 per hour more if they work in long-term care homes or hospitals, Home Care Ontario said.
The agency, whose members employ 28,000 health-care workers across Ontario, is urging the government to pour $460 million into the sector to remove "wage inequities that have worsened a pre-existing staffing crisis."
"Government needs to do everything in its power now to ensure the province is not in a similar situation during future waves of the pandemic," VanderBent said. "That begins with prioritizing home-care funding to help stabilize this essential pillar of our health-care system."
In its fall economic outlook, released in early November, the provincial government pledged an additional $549 million over three years to home and community care to expand home-care services, funding an estimated 28,000 post-acute surgical patients and up to 21,000 patients with complex health conditions.
The government said it would help in providing nursing and therapy visits and personal support services.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL has suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly at least nine games for violating the league's gender-based violence policy.