Health News For Central West

• To qualify for Community Access to Long-Term Care, people must be on the long-term care waiting list, eligible for long-term care, or soon to be eligible for long-term care.
• For information on eligibility and how to apply, please contact the nearest home participating in the CALTC pilot program.
• Seniors — people age 65 and older — make up the fastest growing age group in the province.
• As part of its plan to fix long-term care and address waitlists, the government is building 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds across the province. 
• Ontario is offering incentives to PSW students and eligible PSWs to launch careers in long-term care homes and in the home and community care sector.

"By including Four Seasons Lodge in the Community Access to Long-Term Care pilot program, we are ensuring more people have access to the high-quality care they need and deserve, while helping residents remain in their own community with the support they need to live safely and independently. I want to thank the Ontario government and Minister Natalia Kusendova-Bashta for their leadership in expanding this initiative and for ensuring our community is included in this important pilot."

- Billy Denault
MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke

"The Province's investment gives us the opportunity to create something truly designed by our community, for our community. Through our conversations with residents and partners, we heard that helping people remain at home requires much more than health care alone. It requires connection, purpose, education, navigation, trusted relationships, and timely access to support. The Community Access to Long-Term Care program allows us to rethink care delivery by supporting people earlier—before they require long-term care—helping them remain healthier, more connected, more independent, and living at home for longer."

- Janna Hotson
Chief Executive Officer and Administrator of Deep River and District Health

"Older adults and families in rural communities often face unique challenges when navigating specialized care. Through Craigwiel Gardens, they will now have streamlined access to essential health care and social supports — including clinical nursing, community paramedicine and enhanced memory care — allowing them to remain independent and live safely at home longer. We are proud to partner with the government of Ontario through the Community Access to Long-Term Care pilot to strengthen our ability to serve older adults and their care partners in Ailsa Craig."

- Elaine Shantz
President and CEO, Fairview Parkwood Craigwiel Communities

"Woodingford Lodge is proud to expand our role beyond the walls of long-term care and bring our expertise, services and supports directly to people living in our community. Through support from the Ontario’s Community Access to Long-Term Care program, we are helping older adults remain safely at home longer while supporting families and caregivers throughout their journey. By providing access to services such as our adult day program, physiotherapy, personal care and bathing, system navigation, care partner support groups, and meaningful social and recreational programming, we can help people maintain their independence, prevent avoidable hospital visits and make future transitions into long-term care more familiar and less overwhelming."

- Mark Dager
Director of Long-term Care, Woodingford Lodge