Future Directions in Long Term Care
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Like any care setting, long term care and assisted living facilities have benefits and challenges.The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many of the challenges in care homes to light for the general public and government officials. This awareness provides an opportunity to make improvements for quality of care and quality of life. On this page you'll find reviews, analyses, recommendations, and calls to action for future directions in long term care.
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Future Directions in Alberta, Canada
Facility Based Care Review​​
A recent comprehensive review that will impact future directions for continuing care in Alberta. Includes 42 recommendations, under 11 policy directions, including:
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Establish quality of life as the top priority.
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Enhance quality of care, particularly for residents with dementia.
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Improve culturally appropriate services.
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Improve care coordination.
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Increase staffing hours and consistency.
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Enhance working conditions.
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Expand choices for clients.
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Coordinate monitoring processes.
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Optimize use of innovation.
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Ensure sustainability and affordability.
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Learn from COVID-19.
New legislation that will transform continuing care in Alberta. This legislation will:
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Replace multiple existing acts, for a streamlined and consistent approach.
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Address gaps in existing legislation.
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Improve transparency and accountability.
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Align legislated requirements across the continuum of care.
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Promote person-centered and innovative service delivery.
Additional Resources on Future Directions in LTC
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Large, institutional homes struggled to protect residents from COVID-19.
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Even with enhanced support for home care, there will always be some who require facility based care. Not everyone has a safe home (or a home at all) and some are isolated and lonely in the community.
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Recommended goals moving forward: well compensated staff, resident directed care, in a small-home setting.
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Recommended actions: Invest in both home care and facility based care, while re-inventing facility based models.
Restoring Trust: The Future of LTC
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Canadians now enter care facilities at older ages, with more complex medical, social, and daily care needs.
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Recommendations include:
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Adequate and sustained funding.​
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Focus on quality of life, quality of care, and a "good death".
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Clearly articulate standards of care and accountability.
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Federal government support for provincies and territories to achieve high standards.
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Innovative Models for Quality LTC:
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Recommended focus: high quality, resident centered care models.
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Example: Green House Project (care provided in a small home setting).
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Having fewer residents and consistent staff can support better care relationships.
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Increased costs of more direct care staff has been found to be offset by decreased management and administrative costs.
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Larger homes can also see benefits from this model by dedicating each floor/unit to a specific population.
Five areas to re-imagine how we deliver services in long term care:
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Workforce.
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Societal issues (e.g. racism, LTC culture change).
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Models of care delivery.
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Financing and regulations.
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The actual services delivered (e.g. nutrition, palliative care).
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Is There a Future for Nursing Homes in Canada?
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Care homes are not only necessary, but can be a positive option.
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Benefits:​
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Residents have expressed feeling safe and confident their care needs will be met.​
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Activities and opportunities for socialization.
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Relief for caregivers.
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Benefits from working in teams.​​
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​Recommendations:​
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Support for not-for-profit models.
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Government to establish and enforce minimum staffing levels and ratio of trained professionals.
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Increase full time positions.
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Organize service delivery for continuity of care.
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Legislation and Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice in Alberta, Canada
Competencies for
Occupational Therapists in Canada
Guiding document for occupational therapy throughout the country; sets expectations re: competencies.
Governs protection and access to health information.
Alberta College of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics
Identifies principles that must be withheld for ethical occupational therapy practice.
Legislation and Standards for Continuing Care in Alberta, Canada
This bill has not yet been passed, but would replace all existing continuing care legislation.
Facility Based Care Review​​
A recent comprehensive review that will impact future directions for continuing care in Alberta.
Current legislation for nursing homes. Expected to be replaced by Bill 11.