Aging at Home Year 3 Approach

Click here for a link to the funded projects from Year 1 and Year 2

The Aging at Home Strategy was designed to work towards matching the needs of seniors and their caregivers with the appropriate local support services and avoid the unnecessary loss of independence due to premature admission to higher care long-term care homes or hospitals.  The Aging at Home Strategy is of critical importance, both for its potential to improve the lives of Ontario seniors, and also because it will help ensure the sustainability of the overall health system.  

In the South West LHIN the percentage of seniors is higher (15.2%)[1] than the provincial average (13.6%).

Current health care service capacity indicates that hospitals in South West LHIN are experiencing increasing acute care pressures with an increased percentage of Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patient days, back up in the ER and congestion and constrained flow on the inpatient units.  The continued growth in population and increase in the elderly population in the South West LHIN are causing strains on the system. Expanding community capacity is critical to achieving both the LHIN’s and the government’s agenda in improving health and allowing seniors to age at home with dignity.

In Years 1 and 2 of the South West LHIN Aging at Home Strategy, 27 projects were approved to move forward.  The projects are all at various stages of development and/or expansion.  Ongoing work is currently in progress to evaluate the outcomes of each of these initiatives as well as refine performance indicator measurement and assess funding status.

In Year 3, the South West LHIN has approximately $10M[2] to invest and will be utilizing a targeted approach that is in alignment with LHIN system level goals and provincial priorities.  The Provincial Priorities include:

• Improve access to emergency care by reducing the amount of time that patients spend waiting in the emergency department;
• Improve access to hospital care by reducing the amount of time that patients spend waiting for an alternate level of care; and
• Improve access to integrated diabetes care by supporting the roll-out of the Ontario Diabetes Strategy.

In addition, the Minister of Health has developed a Minister’s Advisory Group on Mental Health and Addictions.  This Advisory Group will help lay the foundation for a 10-year strategy on mental health and addictions needs and priorities.

The South West LHIN system level goals include:

• Healthier South West LHIN
• Equitable Access to Services
• Quality of Care and Service
• Sustainability of the South West Local Health System
• Integration of Health Care Delivery.

The creation of a South West LHIN strategic improvement approach aligns planning processes, investment strategies and LHIN operations to obtain system results.  This approach is supported by a strong planning foundation established through the development of our initial Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) as well as high level recommendations and action plans created by nine priority action teams.  The South West LHIN is now moving forward with key initiatives and projects that have been identified and are aligned to system level goals and IHSP priority populations and programs.  There are several initiatives happening simultaneously at the South West LHIN, including the Health System Design / Blueprint work, and the development of our second IHSP.  It is important to be aware of the content of all of these various projects as we guide the system forward.  As the LHIN moves from high level planning to more detailed planning and implementation, an emphasis is being placed on ensuring strong strategic guidance, ongoing measurement of performance against system level goals and desired strategic improvements.

In recognition of the need to strategically fund services to work toward a future range of services, the South West LHIN will divide Year 3 Aging at Home investment allocation according to the following:

Aging at Home Strategies - Year 3:

The South West LHIN will be establishing workgroups and will identify members to work collaboratively to develop a Business Case Proposal for each of the first five investment priorities identified above.  Confirmed membership will be posted on the South West LHIN website in October 2009.

There will be an expression of interest process specific to creating additional convalescent care beds and this will also be posted on the South West LHIN website in October 2009.

Approach and Process: (Click on each Aging at Home Strategy for details on approximate funding allocations, business case submission process, partners to be included and reference/resource documents and membership)

Integrated and Targeted Model of Care for High Risk Seniors Living in the Community 

Develop and Implement a Coordinated System of Care for Seniors with Behavioural Issues 

Enhance Access to Chronic Disease Prevention and Management Peer Support and Self-Management Tools 

Enhance Services and Supports for Aboriginal Seniors 

Enhance the Capacity and Coordination of Transportation Services 

Create 24-30 Additional Convalescent Care Beds in Long Term Care Homes in the Central and South Areas of the LHIN 

Timelines: 

Please note revised timelines to reflect deadline extension by the MOHLTC

* - Exact dates to be confirmed by South West LHIN Board in January 

[2]Provincially, all LHINs have had their allocation for Year 3 Aging at Home reduced by 25% by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care