A brighter future discussed at this year's Future of Homecare symposium

The possibilities for a brighter future in in-home care for seniors were front and centre at the recent Discover the Future of Homecare symposium, hosted by Healthnext. The event brought together seniors, home care professionals, and experts from across Canada to discuss the evolving landscape of home care.

“We aren’t here to talk about what home care in Ontario is; we’re here to talk about what home care in Ontario could be,” said Paul Brown, sole proprietor of Healthnext and advocate for home care and supportive housing.

Brown noted that the 1964 Hall Commission recommended expanding Canada’s health-care system to include services such as home care. However, when the Medical Care Act was enacted in 1966, it primarily covered hospital and physician services. Home care was not included as an insured service under the Canada Health Act, and provinces were not mandated to provide it.

Similarly, the 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal acknowledged home care as a priority area, but the extent of implementation has varied across provinces, and comprehensive inclusion under the Canada Health Act has not occurred.

To shed light on future possibilities for home care in Ontario, Brown referenced a 2024 book, Health for All: A Doctor’s Prescription for a Healthier Canada, written by Dr. Jane Philpott. In it, she proposes a Canada Primary Care Act that would ensure every Canadian has access to a primary care team within 30 minutes of their home or workplace. These teams would include physicians, nurse practitioners, mental health workers, palliative care specialists and community paramedics – a model intended to help seniors remain at home longer.

Dr. Jean Hewitt, who led a women’s proposal regarding Ontario’s long-term care facilities, also spoke at the symposium. Representatives from DIALOG presented ideas for holistic urban planning solutions that benefit the environment and residents of all ages by integrating long-term living spaces into cities.

Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma addressed the importance of developing multi-generational housing, once again pointing to the potential of the Grand Trunk site and the University of Waterloo Stratford campus as hubs for diverse residents – from students to seniors.

Ritsma stressed the need for advocacy and partnerships with both levels of government, as well as developers, to make such projects a reality.

“We know we have to prod and push the federal and provincial governments. They need to be at the table, because we can’t put these costs on our municipal tax levy,” Ritsma said. “The thing we have to keep in mind is our partnerships with developers. They will be at the table, provided we give them opportunities, whether it’s through tax incentives or land that we have available.”

Catherine Burns, who chaired the Waterloo Health Initiatives Task Force and helped develop strategies aligned with Waterloo’s 2025 strategic plan, spoke about the high cost of health care in Canada. Nearly 13 per cent of the country’s GDP is spent on health care, she noted, with 26 per cent of that going to hospitals and physicians.

Burns also highlighted the country’s aging population: “More than seven million Canadians are aged 65 or older, representing over 20 per cent of the population.” She emphasized the growing workforce shortages, saying Ontario alone will need more than 33,000 nurses and over 55,000 personal support workers by 2032.

To improve care delivery and support aging in place, Burns proposed innovative models such as naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) and expanded use of e-health technologies.

Gabrielle Gallant, director of policy at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA), spoke about the institute’s annual aging in Canada survey. Polling 6,000 older adults, the survey found that 25 per cent of Canadians will be over 65 by 2030, and 25 per cent of older adults have less than $5,000 saved for retirement.

The survey underscores the urgent need for improved home care services, with 83 per cent of respondents expressing a desire to age at home. Gallant stressed the importance of addressing demographic changes, boosting health-care capacity, and modernizing retirement programs to better support older adults.

John Hirdes, a University of Waterloo professor and Member of the Order of Canada, discussed the progress and challenges within Canada’s health-care system. He emphasized the need for policy adjustments in light of population aging and the COVID-19 pandemic’s ongoing impact on health-care workers.

Still, Hirdes acknowledged progress – including fewer premature placements of older adults in long-term care and shorter hospital stays.

To learn more about Healthnext, visit www.healthnext.ca