Provinces falling short of national long-term care standards: report

OTTAWA –

The National Institute on Ageing has found that provincial long-term care standards vary drastically across the country and, in some cases, fall far short of new national standards released earlier this year.

The Health Standards Organization developed the standards to boost quality of life and prevent the spread of infection after the COVID-19 pandemic cast a harsh spotlight on conditions in long-term care homes across the country.

Provinces and territories requested a report from the institute to figure out how far they are from meeting the new standards.

The institute’s report found that only 25 of the 117 criteria laid out in the national standards could be found in the policies of all provinces and territories.

Long-term care falls under provincial jurisdiction, but the federal government has also promised to draft legislation to guarantee safety in long-term care homes.

The federal government hasn’t announced how it plans to do that yet, but Dr. Samir Sinha, the report’s co-author, says some provinces have begun to adjust their standards and policies.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2023.