Public, operators have their say about proposed LTC Homes Act
Over the past two weeks, those interested in Ontario's proposed new Long Term Care Homes Act have had their say during a series of hearings of the provincial government's Standing Committee on Social Policy.
Three OMNI representatives, including CEO Fraser Wilson, Almonte Country Haven Administrator Rick Gourlie and Rosebridge Manor family member David Kent spoke on Monday, Jan. 22 in Kingston.

Throughout November 2006, the Ontario long-term care community, driven by the Ontario Long Term Care Association, embarked on an advocacy campaign that took aim at the Province’s proposed Act.

Many OMNI homes took an active role in the campaign. Management posted literature about issues arising in the proposed Act and held family and staff meetings. They signed petitions and collected postcards and met with the provincial politicians representing their home’s respective area. Residents, family members and volunteers also took the campaign to heart.

The Act the government’s proposing would put a 10-year deadline on nursing home’s operating licences and provide no plan for what happens before or after that. If the Act is passed, after seven years the government can decide to do anything it wants with the older homes, including close them and move the beds to another community.

Without a funding commitment for the structural renewal of older homes, current and future residents could face uncertainty for the next decade, operators say.

A degree of optimism was delivered in the form of a Private Member’s motion Nov. 23, 2006. All three provincial political parties voted unanimously in the legislature in favour of the motion by Kitchener-Waterloo MPP Elizabeth Witmer calling on government to commit to a plan of action to invest in the upgrading of older B and C classified long-term care homes. The pressure is now on the government to follow through with the motion the three parties supported.

The Long Term Care Homes Act 2006 or Bill 140 is currently at the second reading stage. According to the Province, the proposed Act promotes zero tolerance of abuse and neglect of long-term care home residents, restricts the use of restraints and makes it mandatory a registered nurse be on duty in the province’s nursing homes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also defines licence terms for long-term care homes of up to 25 years and provides the authority to revoke licences in cases of non-compliance.

The second point operators raise is the government is proposing more rules and regulations and the opportunity to introduce more within the Act, removing the time for, and emphasis on, hands-on care.

However, not everyone within the long-term care community dislikes the Province's proposed Act. Two resident-focused groups the OMNIway interviewed say the Act has good structure that emphasizes residents' rights.