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1,100 more PSWs for LTC? And what, exactly, are the for-profit operators up to?


The Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS) says the provincial Budget will fund 1,100 new personal support workers (PSWs) in long-term care homes. With 700 homes in the province, that is about 1.5 PSWs per home.  "Residents will see a direct benefit from this investment through enhanced levels of care and services" claims OANHSS.

 OANHSS also claims the Budget will provide funding to help the homes deal with the increasingly complex ALC patients they are getting from hospitals.  The 1,100 PSWs  are suppose to  complete a promise in the 2008 Budget for 2,500 more PSWs.  

LTC union representatives remain skeptical, having heard promises in the past.  This writer, at least, has not been able to find the specific PSW promise in the 2011 Budget.


On a different tack,  for-profit long term care facilities (represented by OLTCA) are meeting with the Ministry of Health and LTC this week to discuss the Budget and encourage them to allow the ‘shifting’ of some funds into their “environmental budgets”.

The homes are allowed to make a profit on their environmental budget, but not on other parts of their funding.  So go figure...


dallan@cupe.ca
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  1. karen popadynetzApril 19, 2011 at 8:41 AM

    Allowing them to shift into the enviromental services means that money will just go directly into the pockets of the share holders / owners of the for profit LTC homes . Its ironic that they ask for more funding due to the increased acuity levels of the residents entering Long Term Care care as they require more staff to provide this increased care , and then ask for the ability to shift the money out of nursing ( who are providing the increased care ) to enviromental where there is no accountability at all . I am hoping the powers that be can see through this as quickly as the rest of us can and not allow them to do this !!!! I wonder how they sleep at night ???

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