Immediate Action Needed by Federal Government to Prepare for Doubling of Canadians 80 and Over

OTTAWA, Oct. 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Pointing to alarming statistics on the growing needs of our aging population, the Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC) called on the federal government to take action and invest in the rebuilding and modernizing of Canada's long-term care homes, and standardizing sector data collection across the country.  

Recent statistics show the number of seniors age 65 and older will rise by 25% by 2036, and the number of seniors 80 and over will double between 2011 and 2036. Data also shows seniors entering long-term care suffer from multiple chronic conditions, including 87% of residents affected by Alzheimer's or other dementias, with this number is expected to double by 2031.

"There are over 140,000 Canadians currently living in long-term care across the country," said Candace Chartier, Chair, CALTC. "We know that the health care system needs to undergo continuous transformation to support our growing seniors' population, but today we need the federal government to support the infrastructure needs of long-term care homes in partnership with provincial governments in order to improve seniors' care in Canada."

In a report to the federal government, titled Caring for Canada's Seniors, CALTC makes several recommendations on how the government should proceed in order to meet the needs of our aging population.

"We applaud the efforts of the Trudeau government and provincial partners who have made critical investments in health care and commitments to improving seniors' care across Canada. But there is more that needs to be done," says Chartier. "It is vital that the federal government allow its provincial counter parts to use a portion of the Health Accord funding to address long-term care infrastructure needs by building new and renovating facilities across the country."

CALTC members gathered in Ottawa today to host a forum of national stakeholders to celebrate National Seniors Day, and to call on the federal government to develop and implement a national seniors' strategy to improve seniors' care across the country.  

About the Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC)

The Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC) is a national organization comprised of provincial associations and long-term care providers that deliver publicly-funded health care services for seniors across Canada.

CALTC members represent care providers responsible for the employment of Canadians and delivering quality care to Canada's most vulnerable residents each day. For more information: www.caltc.ca

SOURCE Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC)

For further information: Jessica Stepic, [e-mail], [phone]