110 Business View - June 2015
their community. These individuals may be “on the
fringe” of admission to a facility, or may not be eligible
or entitled to additional publicly funded care. Privately
purchased home care service often provides the vital
few hours of care and respite that enables families
to continue their care giving responsibilities – which
many are fulfilling while raising their children and hold-
ing a job. Home care service providers are often con-
tracted to deliver additional hours that supplement
publicly funded care. Frequently, this care is paid by
privately-insured employment plans and/or govern-
ment programs (such as respite programs) and/or di-
rect private purchase.
Future Directions
The growing senior population in Ontario is a testa-
ment to our success as a society. Seniors, as a group,
are healthier and more active, and the seniors of the
future are predicted to be amongst the healthiest in
history. However, a consequence of aging is that the
likelihood of developing chronic conditions and long
term illness increases and can compromise the pros-
pect of independence.
The health system has already begun to plan for the
shifting demographic and associated health care
needs. Recognizing the different drivers for care, the
Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has un-
dertaken initiatives that will transform the health sys-
tem from one that is reactive and focused on cure to
one that is proactive and driven to support individuals
to live independently and to self-manage their condi-
tions as well as possible.
As the home care sector grows and evolves to respond
to the demands of the system, there is a need for legis-
lative and regulatory change to support the emerging
practice. Leadership within government is essential
to driving the change that is required. Much is written
about the impact of our aging population and technol-
ogy as two key trends that will change society. Within
home care, the Association anticipates a system that
fully utilizes members of the health care team and fo-
cuses on outcomes that are cost-effective and gener-
ated by each person’s values and preferences in the
context of fully informed choices.
HEALTHCARE
