York regional council continues to urge the Ontario government to better fund municipalities operating long-term care homes.
“York regional council continues to advocate for the province to establish a sustainable and equitable multi-year funding formula necessary for covering the cost of operating municipal long-term care homes,” said York Region chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson said in a news release.
“As the aging population grows and more people are needing additional care, we need to work together to ensure there is safe and quality care available to our residents, whether that be support at their home, in the community or in another setting.”
Highlights of an annual update on long-term care and seniors community programs for 2023 include:
- Achieving high levels of overall resident satisfaction with 99 per cent of residents rating the homes as good or better;
- Focusing on continuous quality improvement with partners to enhance resident care;
- Increasing full-time staffing positions for more consistency in resident care.
York Region operates two long-term care homes, Maple Health Centre and Newmarket Health Centre, providing a total of 232 long and short-term care beds for residents who need assistance with daily activities to support their safety and well-being. The homes offer a variety of bed types, including long-term care beds.
In addition, York Region offers programs and services to support seniors, including:
- Five adult day programs supporting seniors to remain in their own homes and providing caregiver respite;
- A psychogeriatric resource consult program offering education and consultation to all long-term care home staff and community organizations in York Region.
“Seniors, the fastest growing population in York Region, deserve to have high-quality care,” said Vaughan Regional Councillor Gino Rosati, chair of community and health services. “We continue to provide a range of services and advocate for supports to help all York Region residents live fulfilling and meaningful lives.”
The homes continue to implement operational efficiencies and investigate additional revenue sources to mitigate growing pressure on the property tax to subsidize operational cost, the news release stated.
