Over $5.5 million is going to five area long-term care homes to increase staffing levels and direct care for residents.
Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing says this is part of the province’s commitment to ensure long-term care residents receive, on average, four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25.
“This funding will allow homes in our community to hire and retain more staff so they can provide more care to residents, every day,” says Fedeli. “This is part of our government’s plan to hire thousands of new staff over the next four years to ensure those living in long-term care get the high-quality care they need and deserve.”
The funding includes:
- Cassellholme (North Bay) receives nearly $2.1 million.
- Eastholme (Powassan) receives over $1.1 million.
- Northern Heights (Waters Edge Care Community, North Bay) receives nearly $890,000.
- Nipissing Manor (Corbeil) receives over $767,000.
- Algonquin Nursing Home (Mattawa) receives over $636,000.
Tom Piper, chair of the board at Eastholme in Powassan, says the funding will allow them to hire additional direct care staff and continue to fund other professionals like physiotherapists, dieticians, resident care aids and more.
“We anticipate that we at Eastholme will have the opportunity to recruit an additional 12 to 14 full-time positions in nursing thereby improving our service to our residents while supporting our local communities with job growth,” he says.
Chris Mayne, chair of the board at Cassellholme says the funding is not only good news for the long-term care home but for the community at large.
“Not only for Cassellholme but also for municipal taxpayers who otherwise would have had to pick up that difference. This is a win-win all around,” he says.
Fedeli also says the funding amounts will double next year then increase by another 50 percent the year after.
Province-wide, $673 million is going to long-term care homes to increase staffing levels and direct care for residents.
