Toronto Central LHIN Expands Aging At Home Programs

McGuinty Government Helping More Seniors Get Health Care At Home

TORONTO, Aug. 31 /CNW/ -

NEWS

The Toronto Central LHIN is expanding the successful Aging at Home strategy. Ontario is providing the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network with $24.2 million to ensure more seniors get health care at home or in the community.

As part of the successful Aging at Home strategy, the Toronto Central LHIN will use the funding for local programs that provide health services to seniors in the comfort and dignity of their own home. This permits Ontario seniors to lead healthy and independent lives while avoiding unnecessary visits to hospitals, which can ultimately reduce ER wait times.

The Aging at Home program allows LHINs to provide health care services that are tailor-made to meet local seniors' needs. This year, the program is expanding to include four new community-based services such as:

    
    -   Two nurse-led long-term care home outreach teams to provide on-site
        urgent care to residents of all 37 long-term care homes in the
        Toronto Central LHIN, helping them to avoid unnecessary trips to the
        emergency room and enhancing their quality of life.
    -   An initiative to provide diabetes prevention, education and
        management for Aboriginal seniors.
    -   An enhanced adult day program that will provide high-risk, frail
        seniors with short-term, intensive supports services to allow for
        safe transition from hospital back to the community.
    

Investing in better local community supports will help improve Ontario's Alternate Level of Care (ALC) rate. ALC patients are individuals in hospital beds who would be better cared for in an alternate setting, such as long-term care, rehab, or home. By giving seniors the support they need to avoid hospitalization in the first place and helping those who do get admitted return home faster, access to health care will be improved for all Ontarians.

QUOTE

"The Toronto Central LHIN's Aging at Home program is providing seniors with the supports they need to live healthier and remain in their home and communities. New and existing community-based initiatives are giving more seniors the option of receiving safe, quality health care at home, and reducing avoidable ER visits and hospital stays."

-- Dennis Magill, Acting Board Chair, Toronto Central LHIN

QUICK FACTS

    
    -   Assisting seniors to live independently at home helps to shorten wait
        times at hospitals and improve patient flow in emergency rooms.
    -   Ontario is investing $330.6 million for Aging at Home programs this
        year.
    -   By 2017, for the first time, seniors will account for a larger share
        of population than children aged 0-14.
    -   In its first two years, Aging at Home programs have benefitted more
        than 11,000 seniors in the Toronto Central LHIN
    -   In 2010/11, Aging at Home is projected to benefit an estimated 16,000
        seniors in the Toronto Central LHIN.
    

Backgrounder available at www.torontocentrallhin.on.ca.

For further information: Media Contact: Susana Hsu, Toronto Central LHIN, 416-969-3327, [email protected]