Transforming the Care and Safety of Residents in Ontario's Long-Term Care Homes

Long-Term Care Task Force Delivers Third Progress Report

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - The Ontario Long-Term Care Task Force on Resident Care and Safety (Task Force) has issued its third update, reporting on progress achieved over the last year as it continues to implement its three-year Action Plan to Address Abuse and Neglect in Long-Term Care Homes. The new report, Strengthening Leadership, Knowledge and Quality to Improve Care and Safety of Residents in Long-Term Care Homes, highlights the significant achievements and new initiatives carried out by the Task Force and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), illustrating continued progress on actions that support the quality of life for Ontario's 77,000 long-term care residents.

Significant Task Force achievements include:

• A broad range of new programs to help administrators and managers identify high-risk resident behaviours, learn practical strategies and approaches to maintain the safety of all residents, and engage residents to improve care. Highlights include: 
  -  More than 2,300 long-term care leadership, staff, students and researchers participated in educational events focused on resident safety training led by the Ontario Long Term Care Association. 
  -  CEOs, administrators and senior managers attended Behaviour Supports Ontario and Beyond: Resident Aggression, a new, full-day interactive workshop developed by the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors. 
  -  Ten Ontario homes participated in pilot Togetherness Training workshops, two-day team-building sessions led by the Ontario Association of Residents' Councils for administrators, and staff assistants and presidents of Residents' Councils.
• Four Task Force member organizations collaborated with Health Quality Ontario (HQO) and the MOHLTC to develop four key resident experience indicators that reflect quality of life in areas most meaningful to residents. These indicators can now be used in resident experience surveys and in sector Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs).
• Two major initiatives to strengthen leadership and knowledge among health-care professionals responsible for overseeing and delivering long-term care: 
  -  a brand new best practice guideline for registered nurses on the prevention of abuse and neglect developed by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario; and 
  -  the first complete curriculum for long term care home medical directors created by Ontario Long Term Care Physicians.

The report also highlights key achievements by the MOHLTC in the areas of quality improvement, staff training and development, and increasing resident engagement, including:

• Continued hiring of long-term care home inspectors to ensure that all homes receive Resident Quality Inspections (RQIs) by December 2014. RQIs are proactive, unannounced inspections to ensure compliance with legislation and are a significant change in the sector.
• The introduction of the requirement that all homes must submit QIPs to HQO starting in April 2015. Ninety homes have voluntarily completed QIPs in 2014/15.
• Amended legislation to streamline admission and discharge requirements for specialized units and improve recruitment and retention of long-term care home staff.
• Significant investments in staff training and development:
  -  In 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, the MOLHTC invested $59M in the Behaviour Supports Ontario initiative and to hire more than 600 human health resources, sustained through annualized funding of $44M, to support residents with complex and challenging behaviours.
  -  $10.06M in 2013-2014 for direct care staff training and development, building on previous funding of $10M in 2012-2013.
  -  Continued support for the Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation initiative to develop evidence-based training and education courses in senior care, resident care, and geriatrics. 

About the Long-Term Care Task Force on Resident Care and Safety

The Task Force was established by the long-term care sector in November 2011 in response to media reports of incidents of abuse and neglect in long-term care homes and the potential underreporting of these incidents. After conducting comprehensive research during January to April 2012 to gain an understanding of what makes a long-term care home a place where residents feel safe, respected and well cared for, the Task Force developed the three-year Action Plan to Address Abuse and Neglect in Long-Term Care Homes, issued in May 2012. The first two progress reports were issued in January 2013 and September 2013.

The Task Force has broad representation across the sector and is comprised of representatives from the following organizations: Concerned Friends of Ontario Citizens in Care Facilities; Elder Abuse Ontario; Family Councils' Program; Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors; Ontario Association of Residents' Councils; Ontario Long Term Care Association; Ontario Long Term Care Physicians; Ontario Nurses' Association; Personal Support Network of Ontario; Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario; Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario; Service Employees International Union; and also includes a family member representative and a resident representative.

Read the October 2013 progress report. 
Read the January 2013 progress report.
Read the May 2012 Action Plan to Address Abuse and Safety and Neglect in Long-Term Care Homes.

For more information, visit longtermcaretaskforce.ca.

Quotes:

"I'm pleased with the Task Force that was established in 2011. Working in partnership with government and the long-term care community, we have made great strides in recent years to provide seniors in long-term care with better care. We're proud to be working collaboratively to achieve our collective goal of making Ontario one of the best places in the world to get long-term care."
- Hon. Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care  

"The number one priority of long-term care homes is the safety of their residents. The activities described in this report are helping to provide a safer environment and better quality of life for vulnerable seniors."
- Candace Chartier, CEO, Ontario Long Term Care Association

"OARC is grateful to all LTC leaders for their continued and increased individual and collaborative efforts to increase resident care and safety.  Together we are committed to a process journey; not a project."
- Donna Fairley, ED, Ontario Association of Residents' Councils

"The Family Councils' Program is very proud of the collaborative work of the Taskforce that has recognized and valued the important role families have in creating better safer care in long-term care. This report highlights the work we have done toward the common goal of better safer care, it shows we have made, and are continuing to make, a difference."
- Lorraine Purdon, Coordinator, Family Councils' Program

"The Task Force's main achievement has been to encourage leadership from a broad range of partners pulling together for one goal, the prevention of elder abuse.  All of the strategies, education and awareness generated, contribute in some measure to fostering a culture of respect and safety for the elderly in our care."
- Donna Rubin, CEO, Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors

SOURCE: Long-Term Care Task Force on Resident Care and Safety

Debbie Humphreys, Senior Director, Corporate and Public Affairs, Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors, [phone] ext. 233, [email protected]; Nancy Cooper, Director, Quality and Performance, Ontario Long Term Care Association, [phone], [email protected]