Ontario Investing Additional $10 Million to Enhance Behavioural Supports Program

Ontario Investing Additional $10 Million to Enhance Behavioural Supports Program

– Toronto, ON

As committed in the 2016 Budget, Ontario is adding annual funding to enhance Behavioural Supports Ontario program by $10 million to better meet the needs of seniors with challenging and complex behaviours associated with dementia, mental health, substance use and/or other neurological conditions.

The Behavioural Supports Ontario initiative was created in 2011 to enhance health care services for older adults living at home and in long-term care residences. Through the program, specialized teams improve the quality of life for people with chronic mental health conditions and their caregivers by identifying triggers that can lead to agitation or aggressive behaviours before they start. The techniques and methods used as part of this initiative in long term care have helped contribute to lower rates of anti-psychotic drug use, injury to staff and lower use of restraints.

The enhanced $10 million in funding will be used to enhance the services already in place and to hire more specialized staff for the program across the program.

This year Ontario is also increasing funding for residents of long-term care homes by up to $60 million to better support resident care needs. This investment will result in a two per cent increase for nursing and personal care allocations, and for program and support services, including physiotherapy and convalescent care.

Investing in better care for seniors and patients in long term care is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the right care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.

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