Multi-sector Action Plan to Support our Frail Elderly

There is a profound demographic shift underway. The 80+ population in Ontario is projected to more than double by 2040.

People want to age at home – yet one in five older adults today have complex care needs which make it very challenging. Plus, family and other loved ones taking care of older adults say they are burning out with 63% of caregivers saying they reached their breaking point last year but had no choice but to keep going.

Then couple this with the more than 43,000 people in Ontario waiting for long-term care – more than the populations of a mid-sized town such as Bradford, Orillia, Stratford, Orangeville, or Leamington – with the waitlist for long-term care expected to grow to 48,000 individuals by 2029 based on population growth and complex care need trends.

Bottom line, there will not be enough long-term care beds for those who need them, even with the significant investments and historical commitments already made by the Ontario Government, and the commitment by long-term care homes to deliver on the Government’s pledge to redevelop older homes and to create 30,000 new long-term care spaces.

Collectively, with leaders across our sectors, we have identified existing solutions that can be expanded to reduce the long-term care wait list, help more older people with complex care needs age at home, and to fast-track access to long-term care for those who really need it.