Ontario’s health care system is being challenged by the health and social care needs of its aging population. The shortage of community care resources is such that disabled people with long-term conditions who are unable to perform activities such as preparing meals or using transportation cannot remain in their own homes, and are being referred instead to institutional long-term care. Given that it is easier and cheaper to provide many of the needed services where people live, more home care and community support services should be made available across the province. But is this realistic? Can legislation, regulations and funding mechanisms be changed?
To explore these questions and more, the IRPP hosted a working lunch with A.Paul Williams (University of Toronto), principal author of the IRPP study Integrating Long-Term Care into a Community-Based Continuum, Carolyn Clubine (Canadian College of Health Leaders); and Samir Sinha ( Mount Sinai and the University Health Network Hospitals).
