Quebec is gearing up to improve home care for seniors, focusing on better access and support for both staff and patients.
Quebec: The government is planning to roll out a new home support policy aimed at making life easier for seniors. They want to ensure that older folks can get the care they need right at home. This is a big deal since many seniors prefer to stay in their own spaces rather than move to care facilities.
Minister Sonia Bélanger is leading the charge, hoping to have this policy ready by December 2025. They’ve already started chatting with various organizations to gather input. It’s all about making sure everyone’s voice is heard in this process.
Luc Mathieu, the president of the nursing order in Quebec, shared that they’ve been pushing for three main things: easier access to home care, smoother processes to get that care, and better training for health professionals. It’s crucial that everyone involved in home care can communicate and work together effectively.
Access to services has been a real headache, and Bélanger has acknowledged this. She’s proposed that local health centers, known as CLSCs, become the main entry point for seniors needing care. This could really help streamline things.
The Association of Retirees from Education and Other Public Services agrees with this approach. They’ve suggested that CLSCs should be the go-to hubs for home care, which they included in their proposals to the health ministry.
AREQ President Micheline Germain pointed out that everyone involved in home care needs to collaborate better. She’s seen too many people getting assessed multiple times, which just complicates things. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.
Germain also criticized the current system, saying it’s not set up to help seniors stay in their homes. Many feel forced to move to senior residences because they can’t get the support they need at home. This is a real concern for many families.
Looking ahead, by 2031, a significant portion of Quebec’s population will be seniors. This means the demand for health care is only going to rise. Most seniors have chronic illnesses, and many want to age in place, which is often cheaper than moving to a facility.
Mathieu emphasized that while past governments have claimed to invest in home care, it hasn’t been enough compared to what’s spent on hospitals. There’s a clear need for more funding and better use of resources to support seniors at home.
Health Commissioner Joanne Castonguay noted that the current system only meets a small fraction of home support needs. There’s a strong push to increase this support, and it’s vital for the well-being of seniors.
The OIIQ is also working on creating a new specialty in senior care for nurses, which could help improve access and care quality. This is especially important as the population ages and care needs become more complex.
Mathieu pointed out that many current practices in home care aren’t effective. There’s a need for better coordination and continuity in care, and he believes there are already successful models that can be adapted.
He’s concerned that some past health reforms have been left behind, and it’s time to revisit those ideas. Training for caregivers also needs to be improved to prepare for the growing number of seniors needing support.
While there’s hope for the upcoming national policy on home support, there’s also skepticism about whether the government will follow through with the necessary resources to make it work.
