Residents of long-term care need quality of life improvements across the board, new report finds
Couples staying together in care needs to be prioritized, report says
The Newfoundland and Labrador government has released a long-awaited report on improvements needed in long-term care and personal-care homes, which says officials need to prioritize improving the quality of life of residents.
The near 200-page report outlines 23 recommendations to improve the quality of availability of care, centring around improvements to quality of life for residents, ensuring the upkeep of existing infrastructure and implementing strategies to improve workplace morale for staff along with recruitment and retention efforts.
The report was first undertaken in February 2023. Former Health Minister Tom Osborne expected findings to be released to the public in six to eight months.
A key finding of the report, using data pulled from over 3,000 surveys, shows quality of life monitoring is limited in Newfoundland and Labrador care homes — and that seniors are limited in the ability to build their own routines.
"Some homes provided more flexibility than others, but in general resident choice was very limited and the home environment was very routine-based and heavily focused on task-based care rather than resident-centred care," the report said.
It also reported that while Newfoundland and Labrador is performing above national averages in quality of life indicators like limiting falls and improving physical functioning. The report also highlights concerns about the use of restraints and the potentially inappropriate use of antipsychotic medication — a key concern highlighted by Seniors' Advocate Susan Walsh in December.
It offers seven recommendations that could lead to improvements in quality of life, including improving the quality, choice and flexibility of meal plans and when meals are eaten, along with a need for improved access to meaningful activities and recreation programs.
The report also dives into the impact of spousal separation in care. It was a driving factor behind the need for a review, according to Walsh at the time.
It says the province needs to implement the development of personalized care plans to accommodate the needs of both partners within a year, and improve work to support couples who choose to remain together. If partners require different levels of care, the report says additional allocations should be provided.
The report, tabled by the province's expert advisory panel of Janice Keefe, Director of the NS Centre on Aging at Mount Saint Vincent University, Susan Mercer, N.L. Health Services Clinical Chief of Older Age Care, Kelli O'Brien, Vice President of Quality and Learning Health Systems Kelli O'Brien and Family Member Representative Leslie Daye, also outlines the need for the legislation documenting long-term care standards — developed in 2005 — to be updated.
It also calls for the creation of an independent body to monitor and enforce those standards.
The report also calls on the province to maintain its commitment to the recruitment and retention of workers in personal and long-term care, but also highlights the need to improve conditions for them.
Staff reported workplace morale below a five out of 10 rating, according to the report, citing high turnover, burnout and troubles maintaining a work-life balance.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Heath Minister John Hogan said the report will guide future decisions around long-term and personal-care homes.
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