Position Papers & Statements

Home Care Ontario and Ontario Community Support Association are pleased to present an overview of the home care sectors' response to protect patients/clients and staff during wave one of COVID-19. This paper informs the MOH and other health partners about the extraordinary efforts and success that the sector demonstrated in maintaining the lowest levels of virus transmission.

October 22, 2020 Given this environment, it is critical the government create capacity in the home care system to reduce the growing level of ALC patients and return postoperative patients back home quickly. It must establish a sustainable health care system that can withstand future waves of COVID-19 and the increasing pressures of Ontario's rapidly ageing population.

Key to ending hallway health care is enabling more care to be delivered at home. A critical strategy to strengthening the health system is ensuring that there is relevant and timely information exchange between all providers.

“Stronger Care at Home, Better Care for All Ontarians: Recommendations to the New Ontario Health Teams” outlines ways the new Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) can further utilize home and community care to deliver more care at home and help end hallway health care in Ontario.

Oct 31, 2018 Home Care Ontario is applauding the government’s new bill that supports children with special needs, including those with autism, and makes it easier to have service dogs with them in school to aid in their therapy and help keep them in the classroom.

Oct 23, 2018 Home Care Ontario Applauds PC Government’s “Making Ontario Open for Business Act” as Good News For Ontario Patients

June 7, 2018 Home Care Ontario is pleased to provide the 2018 Annual Report.

January 24, 2018: Today Home Care Ontario, the voice of home care in Ontario™, launched a campaign to bring attention to the underfunding in home care. The campaign advocates for an annual investment of $600 million to fund more frontline home care to help ease hospital overcrowding, and meet increased demand for professional home caregivers.

August 2017 KPMG Analysis of Bill 148 Financial Implications for Home and Community Care, prepared for Home Care Ontario and Ontario Community Support Association.

December 12, 2017 Home Care Ontario Comments on the PC Platform

November 6, 2017: Newly formed Crown Agency duplicating service, redirecting money from front-line care to bureaucracy

July 2017 Home Care Ontario's Submission to the Standing Committee regarding Bill 148 - Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017.

July 2017: The Home Care Ontario/OCSA Nursing Practice Council's publication highlights the way s in which the contribution of the frontline home care nurse can be optimized to align with the vision of the Patients First Strategy.

March 2017: The Association’s members are witness to the toll that dementia places on individuals, families and friends in their homes. As partners in care responsible for the patient’s experience, Home Care Ontario members share insights and offer recommendations.

October 2016: The paper provides advice on the requirements for an integrated technology solution that makes it easier for patients and their families to receive care at home. See Infographic

April 8, 2016: Recommendations as to the many ways in which a robust home care can effectively enhance the capacity of the broader health care system and how the home care system can be enhanced to the benefit of all Ontarians.

June 25, 2016: The objective of this resource is to provide members of Home Care Ontario and the Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA) with tools to assist them in the successful implementation of physiotherapist assistant (PTA) roles in home care.

October 21, 2015: Home Care Ontario makes the case for SPOs to bring their knowledge, experience and expertise to the process of determining how School Health Services are organized and delivered as part of Ontario’s Special Needs Strategy.

August 2015: SPOs believe that the home care system can continue to improve as patients and their families are provided with their choice of provider.

July 7, 2015: This paper highlights the importance of family caregivers to home based care and offers recommendations to better support families with the often demanding challenges of caregiving.

June 29, 2015: This paper discusses the importance of shifting the paradigm to home and addressing key challenges to successful palliative care at home.

March 26, 2015: Recommendations from Home Care Ontario to support programs and services for children that are accessible, equitable, comprehensive and coordinated and of the highest caliber.

December 2014: This paper highlights the important reasons for retaining care from a reputable service provider organization and identifies the need for government to introduce protective policy measures.

October 2014: The Association takes the position that no provider should be disadvantage by tax status which is the potential outcome of Bill 8.

October 2013 - Describes how the purchase of private home care services is an important option for families - a revision of the paper first released in 2011.

May 2013: The demographic certainty of the aging population necessitates greater home­‐based care.

February 2013: A case for increasing PSW compensation despite fiscal restraint measures.

January 2012: The true meaning of health reform is embodied in the shift from facility-based care to home and community-based care. The pressures to increase funding and shift policy toward home care are converging such that there is an urgent need to sustain the gains and commit to renewed efforts and strategies.

September 2011 - Now more than ever, home care is acknowledged as a vital part of the health care system in Ontario. Home care is critical to supporting individual health needs, improving the health of the population and contributing to the sustainability of the broader health system. In the future home care is no longer a discretionary service. The future is now.

August 2011 - The strategy for the seniors of Ontario requires targeted funding for appropriate home care interventions. By purchasing more direct clinical service, more ALC patients can return to the community and those frail seniors that have not been hospitalized but are at elevated risk can be supported in order to avoid a crisis. For the overwhelming majority who prefer to remain in their community, home care service is more desirable, cost effective and health effective. By ‘tipping the balance’ to the home and community care sector the sustainability of the whole health system will be more readily achieved and Ontarians will confidently receive “the right care at the right time in the right place”.

March 2011: Commentary calls for the recommendations and messages regarding the need to provide care ‘closer to home’ in the Panel report to be significantly strengthened to expressly mention and include the provision of formal home care services and address the key role of the Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) in the care continuum.

November 2010: Providing quality health care is a fundamental principle on which the government of Ontario bases health care policy development.

September 2010 - Describes the risks that can be mitigated by choosing to retain a Service Provider Organization to deliver home care services.

May 2010: Providing the full array of home care services, including access to case management, family physicians, nursing, therapies, community pharmacists and personal support is essential to support good health outcomes.

April 2010 - Today, the home care system is achieving excellence and contributing to the health and independence of the population through continuous improvement, innovation and best practice.

November 2009: A recommendation that the Ontario government announce a rebate on exempt and taxable home care services.

November 2007 Seminal document addressing the issues impacting the ability of at-risk seniors to remain at home.