TORONTO, ONTARIO—March 29, 2018 – VHA Home HealthCare (VHA), one of the largest not-for-profit, charitable home and community care agencies in Ontario, applauds the provincial government’s plans to invest in more home care for the million- plus clients who receive health care services in their home.

“This budget is a step in the right direction,” says VHA CEO and President, Carol Annett. “Investing in home care isn’t just what the health care system needs it’s what people want—to live, recover and, in some cases, die at home. Increasing capacity will also help to improve front-line worker conditions which ultimately will result in better care.”

Home care is also exponentially more cost effective than hospitalization and, in many cases, offers better outcomes to clients. Despite this, funding for home care in Ontario to date has not kept pace with the ballooning aging population and the growing acuity of clients receiving care.

“Home care has been seen as the ‘poor cousin’ of the healthcare system for too long” says Annett. “This budget helps to alleviate some of this but not all. Wage equity is still an issue. Rates for service providers in home care can’t compete with hospital salaries,” Annett adds. “The government still needs to work out these longstanding equity disparities to help home care agencies better deal with staffing shortages.”

VHA looks forward to working with government bodies like the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), other community organizations and advocacy groups to pave the way for improved outcomes and client experiences within the ever-growing home care system. “VHA is focused on harnessing our own experiences as a long-serving service provider into solutions that work for our clients, our staff and the system as a whole,” says Annett.

About VHA Home HealthCare

VHA Home HealthCare—a not-for-profit, charity—has helped create possibilities for more independence since 1925. With over 2,500 caring, compassionate professionals supporting clients and families in seven Local Health Network Integration (LHIN) regions, we’re proudly:

• Accredited with Exemplary Standing by Accreditation Canada.
• An RNAO Best Practice Spotlight Organization designate.
• An anchor agency of United Way Toronto and York Region.

For media inquiries please contact:
Pamela Stoikopoulos
Sr. Communications & PR Manager
VHA Home HealthCare
Cell: 416-294-5186
pstoik@vha.ca