Ontario Investing $44 Million in Home and Community Care

Province Expanding Physiotherapy Services; Helping Seniors Live Independently

Ontario is helping more seniors maintain their strength and recover from illness or injury so they can continue to live more independently.

The province is investing more than $40 million over four years to help seniors with complex medical conditions who have experienced a recent loss of strength or mobility. The investment will enhance rehabilitative services and programs including:

• Comprehensive risk assessment programs in the community
• Hospital day programs and outpatient and community clinic services
• Access to short-stay hospital rehabilitation programs
• Supports for seniors in their home and community after a stay in hospital

These services will help frail seniors who are at a high risk of losing their ability to live on their own as a result of an injury or prolonged hospital stay. The increased supports will help them regain the physical strength and conditioning necessary to return home and live independently.

This investment will help support families and caregivers, help seniors avoid emergency department visits, and reduce the need for hospital admissions or placement in long-term care homes.

Ontario is also investing more than $4.2 million to expand access to physiotherapy services across the province in 25 family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics and community health centres.

An estimated 71,000 people including seniors will now be able to access physiotherapy at the same place where they receive primary health care services.

Improving health outcomes for seniors is also part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which is providing patients with faster access to the right care, better home and community care, the information they need to stay healthy and a health care system that’s sustainable for generations to come.