Raw food allowances to be increased for long-term care residents
Thursday August 2, 2007 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
On July 30 the provincial government announced an increase in the raw food allowances for long-term care residents. Effective September 1, 2007, the allowance will rise to $7.00 per long-term care resident per day.

This follows the 11-cent increase in raw food funding which the province implemented on July 1, bringing the daily allowance up to its current $5.57.
 
Alexandra Sacks, 84, a resident of Leisureworld Richmond Hill caregiving centre admits to feeling both skeptical and hopeful about the increase to $7.

“I just wonder how they’re increasing the prisoners’ allowance,” she says but she concurs the change is noteworthy, if it actually does result in improved menu options.

“I hope we will get more variety, more fruit and more salads,” says Sacks.

Sacks has been advocating for improved long-term care conditions, including more funding for raw food, along with thousands of families, the Dietitians of Canada, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and the Ontario Long-Term Care Association.

In the spring she presented to the standing committee on social policy about these concerns.

“We would like to truly enjoy our meals,” she said at the time. “Some examples: We feel it is not too much to ask for salad daily. In addition, there is insufficient fresh fruit provided for each resident per day.”

She pointed out that while long-term care residents received $5.46 a day for food, the government paid $6.94 per day for prisoners in Ontario jails.

“Surely we elderly deserve more,” she said.

In April, Karen Sullivan, executive director of the Ontario Long-Term Care Association (OLTCA), also spoke on the need for “improved meal menus that allow homes to provide more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole foods.”

Sullivan viewed the July 30 announcement as “really good news for residents.”

“The additional funding will enable homes to enhance resident meals with things like more fresh fruit and better quality meats,” said Sullivan in a July 30 press release from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. “In addition, it will assist homes in meeting the increasingly specialized diets residents require because of their age and medical condition.”

Long-term care homes will receive an additional $23.1 million in funding for raw food this year. The funding is in addition to the $2.3 million increase in raw food funding received by long-term care homes on July 1, 2007.

Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman said the government is increasing funding to long-term care operators to ensure residents are provided with an improved range of nutritional menu options.

“The type of food offered to long-term care residents has a direct impact on their health and quality of life,” he said.