'Continuum of care' crucial to provincial seniors' health planning, says group

The P.E.I. Association of Licensed Community Care Facilities is looking for a seat at the table as the province makes its future plans for the health care of seniors.

The association, which represents 40 private operators, has just hired its first executive director, Cecil Villard, to help them speak with one voice on the issue.

"There is a lot of work right now underway looking at planning for the future of seniors' services. We just want to make sure that the community care facilities have a seat at the table so that they too can be part of those conversations," said Villard.

"We need to look at a continuum of care. The community care facilities represent the highest level of independence that an individual can have, outside of living at home."

Late last year, the province told industry representatives on the Community Care Facilities and Nursing Homes Board that changes in the board's structure did not include them. The board was changed from a seven-person board with three industry representatives to a nine-person board with no industry representatives.

Villard said the association currently has a good working relationship with the province, which has been demonstrated during the pandemic.

The aim of earning a seat back on the board is to improve the back and forth exchange of ideas and information to build a better community care system, he said.

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