Image

Provinces hopes $270 million for staffing will increase care in LTC

October 6, 2021

The province is sending $270 million to long term care homes to hire more personal support workers, registered practical nurses and registered nurses immediately.

Minister of Long Term Care Rod Phillips made the announcement today saying the money is to help improve the level of care for seniors in homes. Right now, on average, residents get two hours and 45 minutes of direct care daily. The funding, Phillips says, will increase that to at least three hours per resident, per day, by March.

“This year’s increase means $1.2 million more for typical home” with 160 residents, he told reporters.

By 2023, Phillips says that same size home will have six more RNs, 12 more RPNs and 25 more PSWs with the funding. “That will mean an extra bath and more attention at meals.”

In all, about 4,000 new employees are expected to be hired in Ontario’s long term care homes by March.

While the money is becoming available, critics wonder if homes will be able to find people to fill the roles.

Homes in Lambton county for example are continuously advertising to hire new PSWs and officials say there is a lack of qualified staff.

Phillips says because of previous program to train new PSWs, 11,000 care workers are expected to graduate by December; and another 6,000 in January.

The minister acknowledges there will be no guarantee the workers will go to long term care, but he hopes with the funding made available, working conditions will improve, making long term care homes more attractive places to work.

Phillips added he plans to introduce new legislation for long term care homes in the fall; it’s widely expected that along with making four hours of care per day per resident law, the bill will improve the long term care home inspection system which currently does not have any consequences for long term care homes found guilty of breaking the rules.

Share This

Image
Front Page

ICYMI: Record-breaking crowd at Alvinston Rodeo

June 20, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Like the movie says; if you build it, they will come. The Alvinston Pro Rodeo committee brought in larger stands hoping to accommodate visitors to the three-day event. Saturday night, those stands were filled and there were still people looking for seats according to Chairman Dan Cumming. Here’s just some of the action from the event:

Read More

Image
Front Page

Lambton Public Health issues first heat warning of the summer

June 20, 2025

FROM LAMBTON PUBLIC HEALTH With the prediction of hot and humid weather expected to start on Saturday,June 21 and continue into next week, Environment and Climate Change Canada is issuing a HeatWarning for Lambton County. Heat warnings are issued when two or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures areexpected to reach 31°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are

Read More

Image
Front Page

Rural bus service starts making stops in Wyoming Monday

June 20, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Before there was money to bring a bus into Wyoming, Susan Mills was answering questions from residents about a new rural transit system. The Town of Plympton-Wyoming became a partner in the rural transit system called Huron Shores Area Transit earlier this spring. But service didn’t begin immediately. Lambton Shores, which runs the system, and its partners,

Read More

Image
Front Page

Why spend $20K to study a bridge to nowhere: McEwen

June 20, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Plympton-Wyoming Deputy Mayor Netty McEwen says it doesn’t make sense to spend $20,000 to study a bridge that goes nowhere. Paul daSilva, Director of Public Works, in a report to council June 11, suggested spending $40,000 to do Municipal Environmental Assessments on two low-traffic bridges, one on O’Brien Road, the other on Elmsley Road. “I took a

Read More