Challenges with Bill 7

The More Beds, Better Care Act has raised many questions. Here are some thoughts.

Nobody wants to be in the hospital if they don’t need to be but moving a patient without consent or to a long term care home that creates a barrier to caregiver access may do just as much harm as good. An Alternate Level of Care (ALC) hospital bed has the potential to cost a caregiver upwards of $12,000 a month, leaving them no choice but to move the person home, which is untenable without the proper support from home and community care or to a long term care home that’s not their choice. There’s no debate that we need greater access to hospital care and hallway medicine is real but this new legislation in Ontario has created both significant and unexpected challenges. The pandemic demonstrated that when caregivers can’t access the person they support, the patient has poorer health outcomes. It also creates significant anxiety and demands for the caregiver. Here’s what we need to keep in mind as this plays out:

Much of the support provided in the long-term care home is done by unpaid caregivers who are family members, friends and neighbours of individuals who need physical and/or mental health support, particularly now when the system is also experiencing a shortage of personal support workers and nurses. Reduced caregiver access can mean reduced care. It’s not always just about the number of kilometers that separates a caregiver and care recipient, some caregivers don’t have a car so moving the care recipient somewhere that’s not accessible by public transportation is a problem. It potentially means greater financial cost to travel or to take them to medical appointments. Sixty-eight per cent of caregivers work and taking time off work is already a challenge. A third of caregivers are worried they’re going to lose their jobs because of their caregiving role. There is added complexity when the care recipient suffers from dementia, or perhaps there is a language barrier.

Right now, we aren't hearing from caregivers that hospitals are moving patients without consent or applying fines BUT some caregivers are already facing financial strain specific to their caregiving role so just the possibility of this happening adds significant stress and anxiety. Going forward, let’s bring caregivers to the table to collaborate on solutions; let’s consider how home and community care can better support keeping people at home when it’s appropriate. Let’s envision a system that works for everyone, including caregivers, as their needs evolve. As system transformation continues, it’s time to have these conversations now. 

The Ontario Caregiver Organization continues to collect caregiver feedback through info@ontariocaregiver.ca. We share this feedback with government. We are also here to support family caregivers in Ontario through programs like our 1:1 or group peer support, 24/7 caregiver helpline. These programs can be accessed through our website ontariocaregiver.ca