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Long-Term Care / Chronic Care Backgrounders, Fact Sheets & Briefing Notes

 

BRIEFING NOTE & QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES: Municipal Election Key Health Care Issues

(September 27, 2022) Questions for Candidates Will you commit to maintaining our municipal long-term care homes as public homes, and oppose contracting out the operation of municipal LTC homes to for-profit companies? Will you commit to funding municipal LTC homes to provide safe, quality living and caring environments, and support a minimum care standard of […]

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FACT CHECKER & RELEASE: Furious at the “grotesque” ageism and violation of human rights, advocates respond to Ford government’s planned regulations to push elderly patients out of hospital

(September 15, 2022) Toronto – The Ford government has released its regulations under the euphemistically titled More Beds, Better Care Act (formerly Bill 7) today. The regulations are the details under the legislation to provide new powers to push elderly patients and people with chronic care needs out of hospitals, overriding their right to consent. […]

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FACT CHECKER & RELEASE: Ford Government’s Claims Re. Forcing Elderly Patients into Long-Term Care in Contravention of their Right to Consent

(August 25, 2022) Toronto – Here are the facts about the Ford government’s new legislation, Bill 7 – More Beds, Better Care Act, 2022, which was introduced in the Legislature last week and is currently under debate. The government has made an array of claims, some of which have been printed in major media stories, […]

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RELEASE: Doug Ford’s new legislation being pushed through the Legislature gives new powers to force the elderly & persons with disabilities into substandard long-term care homes: “morally repugnant”

(August 19, 2022) Advocates and experts spoke with one voice today decrying the new law that the Ford government introduced yesterday and intends to pass within just two weeks. The new law, disingenuously titled “More Beds, Better Care Act” gives new powers to force the elderly and persons with disabilities who are waiting in hospitals […]

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FACT CHECKER & RELEASE: Health Coalition response to Ford government’s plans to move seniors out of hospitals & privatize hospital diagnostics and surgeries to for-profit clinics and hospitals

(August 18, 2022) The Ford government released what it called a five-point health care plan this morning in a press conference. In summary: On COVID-19 there was nothing new. On the unprecedented staffing crisis in Ontario’s hospitals, long-term care and home care, there was another in a long string of reannouncements of plans to bring […]

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FACT SHEET: Why Stop the Privatization of Long-Term Care

(March 8, 2022) How Long-Term Care is Being Privatized There have been two big initiatives to privatize LTC in Ontario in recent decades: In 1998, Ontario’s Conservative Mike Harris government built 20,000 new long-term care beds and allocated the majority of them to for-profit corporations, including large chain companies. This tipped the balance from a […]

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JUST THE FACTS: Facts About Health Care, Cuts & Privatization

(March 1, 2022) Here are fact sheets on health care cuts & privatization, with sources for all data: Why Not Privatize Our Public Health Care Services Fightback to Save Public Health Care & Stop Privatization Long-Term Care Privatization Privatization of Ontario’s Public Hospital Services Home Care Privatization Privatization of COVID-19 Testing in Ontario Fast Facts […]

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RELEASE & BRIEFING NOTE: Ontario Health Coalition Demands Answers from Ford Government on Long-Term Care & Hospital Crisis

(January 13, 2022) Toronto — The Ontario Health Coalition issued a statement today demanding that the Ford government explain what it is going to do about the spiralling crisis in Ontario’s long-term care homes and hospitals, and answer for their lack of preparedness. “The failures at this point in the pandemic are inexcusable,” said Natalie […]

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BRIEFING NOTE: The Horrifying Truth About For-Profit Long-Term Care Homes

(December 1, 2021) Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic As of November 29, 2021, 4,023 residents died as a result of COVID-19 alone. Others died of malnutrition, dehydration, and neglect due to lack of care as COVID-19 rampaged through their long-term care (LTC) homes. Many of the COVID-19 related deaths in LTC homes are also associated […]

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LEGAL OPINION: Proposal from Southbridge Care Homes Inc. re Orchard Villa in Pickering, Ontario

(September 1, 2021) Click here for full legal opinion. A summary of the legal opinion can be found below. Click here for press conference releasing the legal opinion. Click here for media release. The Ministry of Long-Term Care is reviewing a proposal from Southbridge Care Homes Inc. (“Southbridge”) for a 30-year license to redevelop, expand […]

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RELEASE & BRIEFING NOTE: A Critically Important Warning in New Financial Accountability Office Report: Ford Government’s Long-Term Care Plan is a House of Cards

(May 27, 2021) Toronto – The new report on long-term care from Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office “FAO” supports what the Ontario Health Coalition has been warning about and more. In the neutral language of accounting, it highlights that there is no actual plan to fund needed health care services in the Ford government’s budget. It […]

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RELEASE, SUMMARY & ANALYSIS: Ontario Health Coalition Summary & Analysis of Ontario’s Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Final Report

(May 5, 2021) A media release and the Ontario Health Coalition’s full summary & analysis of Ontario’s Long-Term COVID-19 Commission final report can be found below. Coalition Outraged at Ford Government Response to Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission: “Total Failure in Leadership, no Conscience” Toronto – Premier Doug Ford returned to the Legislature today after being […]

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RELEASE: Ontario Budget: Health Coalition is Watching for Sufficient Health Funding, Strings Attached in For-Profit LTC & A Stop to the Ford Government’s Privatization of Health Care

(March 24, 2021) Toronto – The Health Coalition said today that the funding numbers for health care in the budget are going to look huge of course, due to the pandemic, but the Coalition will be watching to make sure that funding is indeed enough. Equally important to the amount of funding, are strings attached […]

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RELEASE, BRIEFING NOTE & LEGAL OPINION: Advocates Representing More Than 1 Million Canadians Call For National Standards to Improve Quality, Accountability and Take Profit Out of Long-Term Care

(March 22, 2021) Click here for the legal opinion on national standards. The media release and briefing note can be found below. Legal Opinion on National Standards Media Release Ottawa/Across Canada – Today, advocates representing more than a million Canadians came together to demand that the federal government and provinces work together to establish national […]

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RESOURCES: Briefing for Long-Term Care Families: Access for Visitors and Essential Caregivers

(January 14, 2021) A briefing for long-term care families about access to homes for visitors and essential caregivers took place on January 13, 2021. A video recording of the meeting can be found below and via the link here. Analysis Long-term care resources *Note: These resources are for long-term care only. For retirement home resources, […]

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FACT SHEET: Fact Sheet on Revera Inc. For-Profit Long-Term Care & Retirement Home Chain Owner

(September 16, 2020) October 3 Update: Information on what action can be taken to end for-profit long-term care and what you can do to help make Revera public, along with follow up to a virtual town hall meeting that took place on September 16, can be found below the fact sheet. Revera Fact Sheet Who […]

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BRIEFING NOTE: COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Litigation & Legal Actions

(September 16, 2020) Click here for printable version of the briefing note found below. ——- There have been at least two dozen legal actions as a result of the conditions in long-term care and the responses to the spread of the virus, exposed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, including filing […]

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RELEASE & BRIEFING NOTE: Fact Check & Briefing Note on Inspections in Ontario’s Long-Term Care Homes

(May 29, 2020) Toronto – The Ontario Health Coalition, which has advocated for more than two decades for annual unannounced full resident quality inspections of all long-term care homes, issued a fact checker to clarify what has happened with the homes’ inspection and enforcement regimen. The following are the facts as released today by the […]

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BRIEFING NOTE: Key Issues in Long-Term Care + Public Inquiry Recommendations

(July 31, 2019) Wettlaufer Inquiry into Ontario long-term care underlines need for improved care levels not cuts Toronto – The Elizabeth Wettlaufer murders were terrible human tragedies and our heartfelt condolences go to the families of the victims, said the Ontario Health Coalition today, on the occasion of the release of the report from Ontario’s […]

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RELEASE, ANALYSIS & BRIEFING NOTE: Health Care Omnibus Bill Sets Up Ontario for Health System Mega-Mergers & Privatization: Worse than the Leaked Draft, Health Coalition Warns

(Updated: April 1, 2019) Click here for our submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 74 (April 2019) Click here for update on health omnibus bill hearings (March 2019) Click here for printable version of health omnibus bill briefing note (March 2019) Click here for printable version of health omnibus bill media […]

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BRIEFING NOTE & ANALYSIS:Briefing Note and Analysis of Shirlee Sharkey Report

(June 23, 2008) The general approach taken in the report, the evaluation of the evidence, and the recommendations run counter to the core proposals made by the Ontario Health Coalition and many other groups that participated in Shirlee Sharkey’s consultation. Some of the recommendations may actually be less than what currently exists or are certainly […]

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BACKGROUNDER: Backgrounder on Long Term Care Facilities Minimum Care Standards

(September 9, 2007) Last week the government made public its plans to appoint a “facilitator” to conduct consultations on a care standard for long term care homes. Among the coalition’s concerns: 1. Another round of consultation is redundant. The government already heard from dozens of participants in every community during cross-province hearings about Bill 140 […]

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RELEASE: Coalition Decries McGuinty’s Failure to Fulfill Promise to Improve Care Levels in Nursing Homes

(September 9, 2007) Dalton McGuinty’s government promised a regulated care standard to guarantee adequate levels of care for residents in nursing homes, but has instead announced a review that will delay, if not permanently derail such standards.

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BRIEFING NOTES: Minimum Care Standards in Long Term Care Facilities Briefing Notes

(January, 2007) Why Is A Minimum Care Standard So Important?

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ANALYSIS & SUBMISSION: Letter to Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Regarding Minimum Care Standards

(January 18, 2007) Dear Ken, There are several issues to be addressed in our discussion regarding implementing a minimum care standard in Ontario. The first is a recognition that a care standard should be adopted in principle. The second is the model for such a standard. The third is the reporting and evidence needed to […]

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BRIEFING NOTE: Why Protect Public and Not For Profit Long Term Care Facilities?

(January 16, 2007) Why Is Protecting Public and Non-Profit Long Term Care Homes So Important?

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ANALYSIS & SUMMARY: Bill 140 – Ontario’s New Long Term Care Act Preliminary Summary & Comments

(November 25, 2006) Currently there are 49,700 nursing home beds of which about 10,200 are non profit. Currently there are 24,700 homes for the aged and rest homes beds of which 16,700 are public (municipal) and the rest are non profit (8,000). (Total figures: 39,500 for profit, 18,200 non-profit, 16,700 public.) These beds are governed […]

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BACKGROUNDER: Long Term Care Facilities

(April 2004) Background on nursing homes, municipal and charitable homes.

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FACT SHEET: Long Term Care? Community Care? Home Care? Why Should We Care?

(May 2002) A brief summary of the issues.

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RELEASE/BACKGROUNDER: Province’s Long Term Care PR Announcements Are an Insult to Seniors

(September 14, 2001) In response to a slew of media announcements this week from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care the Ontario Health Coalition is issuing a policy backgrounder and release …

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OHC Guide to the Long Term Care Act

(February/March 2001) An analysis of the Act and what it and “competitive bidding” mean for the LTC sector and privatization.

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FACT SHEET: The Emerging Crisis in Chronic Care

(May 2000) The Ontario government has shut down thousands of chronic care hospital beds.

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FACT SHEET: Hospital Funding

(January 2000) Patient classification has been a key development in hospital funding in Ontario.

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FACT SHEET: Patient Classification and Funding in Chronic Care

(January 2000) Patient classification has been a key development in hospital funding in Ontario.

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FACT SHEET: Chronic Care

(May 1999) Chronic care is in for the fight of its life.

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FACT SHEET: General Long Term Care

(May 1999) The proposed change puts in a nutshell the philosophy of the Harris government in relation to all kinds of care, here specifically care for seniors.

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FACT SHEET: Long Term Care Facilities

(May 1999) Remember the Tory TV ads boasting of $1.2 billion to create 20,000 new long-term beds?

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FACT SHEET: Chronic Care Policy Issues

(January 1999) Patients requiring Chronic Care are facing some of the worst effects of Harris government and Health Service Restructuring Commission changes.

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