Local long-term care investments to help keep residents out of hospital

The Ontario government is investing $438,000 in four local long-term care homes with the goal of preventing those residents from needing care at hospitals, which are already overcrowded.

The money announced Friday morning will be used to fund six projects in the community. The Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh and the Village at St. Clair in Windsor have both received nearly $200,000 each. Both homes will purchase bariatric and diagnostic equipment, services that residents previously went to hospital to receive.

"Every single person that we're able to keep in the home and provide that support to, it's significant for them and it's significant for the health care system in terms of having different care points along the way for them to receive that care," said Joanne Potts, VP of operations of Schlegel Villages, which runs the Village of Aspen Lake.

Extendicare Southwood Lakes in Windsor and Brouillette Manor in Tecumseh have also been approved for two projects each. They will be getting diagnostic equipment and pressure relieving mattresses. Those will help to prevent infections, reduce ER visits and allow residents with specialized needs to be admitted.

"We applaud the government for investing in the long-term care sector with supports that provide care directly at the home, as well as projects to support admissions of individuals into long-term care who no longer require acute care in hospital," said David Musyj, president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital.

The Local Priorities Fund is a $20 million investment providing money to 189 projects across Ontario, including six in Windsor.

"Every one of the 189 projects is tailored to the local community because our government understands that every community has its own unique needs and priorities," said John Jordan, parliamentary assistant to the minister of Long-Term Care.

When long-term care homes get the new equipment, it will allow them to accept hospital patients with specialized needs they may not have been able to care for previously, Jordan added.

"We all know being a resident in a long-term care home is a much better life experience than being in the hospital," said Jordan.

After COVID-19 exposed issues within the province's long-term care system, Jordan said the Ontario government is "committed to fixing long-term care."