The Provincial Government today announced that a comprehensive review of long-term care and personal care homes in the province to identify opportunities to improve quality of care and quality of life of residents is now underway. The review is also aimed at enhancing staff engagement and improving the quality of the work life for staff.
The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, along with Dr. Susan Mercer, Clinical Chief, Older Adult Care, Eastern Health, will be available to the media today (Thursday, February 9) at 11:30 a.m. to discuss this initiative. The availability will take place in the main lobby of East Block, Confederation Building and will be livestreamed on Facebook.
A panel has been established to finalize the scope of the review, facilitate stakeholder engagement, provide expert advice to government on its findings, and provide input on an implementation plan. The members of the panel are:
- Janice Keefe – Chair of the Department of Family Studies and Gerontology, Mount Saint Vincent University and Director of Nova Scotia Centre on Aging:
- Susan Mercer – Clinical Chief, Older Adult Care, Eastern Health; and
- Kelli O’Brien – President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Care Group, Ontario, and former Vice President at Western Health.
The panel will also identify an individual with lived experience who will be invited to become a member of the advisory panel.
Health Accord NL provided a comprehensive list of recommendations for re-imagining health care in Newfoundland and Labrador in order to best address the needs of people in communities throughout the province. It recommended improving the quality and availability of long-terms care and the development of legislation for home care, personal care homes and long-term care homes.
Quotes
“We are very pleased that our review of long-term care and personal care homes in the province is now underway, with the first step being the establishment of a team of experts that will lead the review. Our government remains focused on the quality of care in all care settings, including long-term care and personal care homes, and we look forward to the valuable insight that the panel will provide.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“This review is a welcome opportunity to improve and build upon standards and monitoring already in place in the province’s long-term care and personal care homes. I look forward to working with the panel to recommend opportunities to enhance not only the quality of life for residents in these care homes, but also the quality of work life for those who are employed in these settings. We recognize and appreciate their hard work and commitment to care.”
Dr. Susan Mercer
Clinical Chief, Older Adult Care, Eastern Health
-30-
Learn more
Follow us on Twitter @GovNL
Like us on Facebook
