COVID-19 Issues in Long-Term Care in Ontario: A Document Analysis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health Policy
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing challenges within Canada's long-term care (LTC) sector, leading to a "crisis upon a crisis."
• Understanding the multifaceted issues and diverse perspectives is crucial for effective policy development in LTC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine recent documents concerning the long-term care crisis in Ontario.
• To synthesize issues and recommendations from various stakeholder perspectives.
• To inform policymakers on critical areas needing attention in LTC.

Main Methods:

• Document analysis of 33 publications from 20 distinct organizations.
• Thematic analysis to identify common issues and recommendations.
• Synthesis of findings from multiple viewpoints.

Main Results:

• Six key thematic areas emerged: resident care, human resources, governance/leadership/management, financing, physical infrastructure/supplies, and training/preparation.
• Consistent themes were identified across different organizational perspectives.
• Specific challenges and actionable recommendations were highlighted within each thematic area.

Conclusions:

• The identified themes provide a comprehensive overview of the critical issues facing Ontario's long-term care sector.
• Policy makers can utilize these synthesized findings to address systemic weaknesses and improve the quality of care.
• A multi-pronged approach addressing care, workforce, governance, funding, infrastructure, and training is essential for LTC reform.