McGuinty Government Moving Forward With Seniors Care Strategy

Ontario is moving forward with the next step in developing its Seniors Care Strategy, which will help seniors stay healthy and live at home longer.

The strategy will include:

• Expansion of doctor's house calls

• Increase in access to home care for seniors in need

• Establishing care co-ordinators to work with health care providers so seniors receive the right care, particularly as they recover from a hospital stay

• Allowing seniors to adapt their home to meet their needs as they age with the assistance of the Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit

• Helping seniors stay healthy by eating well and exercising regularly so they can manage their own care and stay mobile

Dr. Samir Sinha will lead the development and implementation of the Seniors Care Strategy. This summer, Dr. Sinha will consult broadly on how to support seniors at home and reduce hospital readmissions and pressure on long-term care homes.

In fall 2012, Dr. Sinha will provide recommendations to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on how to help more seniors to live independently at home and in their community, and will work with the health care sector to implement the strategy, once approved.

Ensuring that seniors have access to the right care, at the right time and in the right place is part of the McGuinty government's Action Plan for Health Care.