Last month, two local long-term care homes were among those across the province to receive funding to increase staffing levels to increase the hours of direct care for residents.
Of the $4,199,774 distributed in our riding, $242,225 is earmarked for Springdale County Manor of Fraserville, rising to an annual increase of $1,483,596 annually more than their current funding. Centennial Place will receive up to $455,957 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care, which is projected to rise to a $2,792,664 annual increase by 2024-2025.
Currently, residents receive an average of two hours and 45 minutes of direct care from nurses and personal support workers. This funding will increase the daily average to 3 hours, per resident per day by the end of this fiscal year. This funding also includes $42.8M to homes to increase care by allied health care professionals (such as physiotherapists and social workers) by 10% this year.
This funding announcement forms part of the province’s commitment to ensure long-term care residents receive—on average—four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25. An announcement also promised to forward legislation that will enshrine its commitment to four hours of care into law.
The province has committed to investing $4.9 billion over four years to boost direct resident care to an average of four hours daily by increasing care staff by more than 27,000 people. Hiring thousands of new staff at long-term homes and increasing the amount of care they deliver each year will be made possible by annual funding increases to homes. KG
