A recent report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicated that residential care capacity will need to double over the next 20 years (assuming no change in how care is currently provided), necessitating a transformation in how seniors care is provided in Canada across the continuum of care.
Efforts to de-hospitalize the system and deal with Canada’s aging population should be part of an overall national seniors strategy, since the differing fiscal capacities of the provinces in the current economic climate will mean that improvements in seniors care will advance at an uneven pace.
Fixing seniors care will contribute to the renewal of the entire health system and will improve the productivity of health care delivery across the country.
What is the CMA recommending?
The CMA recommends that the federal government provide targeted funding to support the development of a pan-Canadian seniors strategy to address the needs of the aging population.