Health

In fifteen years' time, people over 65 will make up a quarter of the Quebec population. This demographic ageing is not a catastrophe if we take today's reality as a starting point, as the majority of seniors are autonomous, socially active, economically independent and contributing members of society. Nearly 90% of them live at home. However, we will have to adapt our structures and services to this new reality, which will lead to increased demand for long-term care and homecare services.

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Supporting seniors' independence

The healthcare network is already struggling to meet the demand for homecare services. What's more, access is inequitable between regions. And yet, an increase in adequate home care could delay the need for residential care, and thus relieve the pressure we are currently experiencing in CHSLDs. This would enable seniors to remain where they want to be - rooted in their communities - for as long as possible, and provide greater support for their caregivers. Currently, home care accounts for only 14% of public funding for long-term care in Quebec. Yet all countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) devote a larger share of their budgets to home care.

Increase budgets for home care and services;

Implement a funding system based on the long-term care needs of the elderly, not on the needs of the facilities.

Inspired by models adopted by many countries, including Japan, South Korea, France, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands;

Relieve doctors of their hospital duties and direct them towards homecare;

Rethinking the way home care and services are delivered.

adopting a seniors' empowerment approach that helps people regain, relearn, recover or maintain the skills and functions they need to carry out their activities, rather than replacing them;

Improve working conditions for homecare staff;

CHSLDs and private seniors' residences

Horror stories about nursing homes and residences for the elderly have followed one another for several years, and the thousands of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic testify to the serious shortcomings of these establishments. Despite this alarming situation, nursing homes remain the solutioan for many people, as the most recent official figures show that over 3,000 people are on the waiting list for access to a CHSLD. A recent analysis by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) indicates that one in nine people admitted to such a center in 2018-2019 could have remained at home if they had obtained the necessary care. Labor shortages are acute in both public and private establishments, and working conditions are reducing staff retention. Finally, let's not forget that nearly a quarter of CHSLDs are in poor or very poor condition, according to government data.

Improve working conditions for CHSLD staff,

In particular, we need to ensure that the salaries and organizational structure of beneficiary attendants are in line with safe ratios, so as to provide the necessary stability and presence of the staff required;

Ensure standardized quality standards in all types of facilities, whether public or private;

Increase the number of resources dedicated to residents' quality of life.

In particular, the number of recreation technicians and specialized educators, to support healthcare professionals and create a stimulating environment for residents;

Implement essential renovation and maintenance work.

To improve the state of CHSLDs and to be able to offer single rooms and air conditioning in all CHSLDs in Quebec;

Restore local management and governance capacity to CHSLDs by establishing accountability mechanisms.

Health prevention

The prevalence of chronic diseases is rising rapidly among seniors, one-fifth of whom require services due to disability. These needs increase significantly from the age of 85 onwards. The burden of disease is largely associated with preventable illnesses and modifiable factors. This means, for example, taking preventive action on risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet. Even in old age, we can prevent or delay disease or its consequences, and help postpone the need for more intensive and costly services. Unfortunately, with less than 2% of its healthcare budget devoted to prevention, Quebec is a poor relation on the Canadian scale.

Invest more in health prevention and the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits;

Increase access to hearing, vision and oral health services for seniors;

Increase access to healthcare professionals (family doctors, nurses, nutritionists, kinesiologists, etc.) and activities that have an impact on the risk factors associated with chronic disease;