***Top 8 Myths and Misconceptions in Continuing Care, Click Here***
Earlier this year the BC Care Providers Association commissioned Insights West to conduct a province-wide poll providing a glimpse into public opinion on the continuing care sector and seniors care. The poll covered a range of topics including everything from attitudes toward asset testing to perceptions on waitlist times and access to care.
Over 100 people attended a special Care to Chat industry panel discussion in April titled “Debunking the Myths and Misconceptions of BC’s Continuing Care Sector”. The event was moderated by former Minister of Health Colin Hansen. Providing the keynote speech was Mario Canseco, Vice-President, Public Affairs for Insights West who provided an in-depth analysis of the results.
“The purpose of this poll and the special Care to Chat panel discussion is to foster a public dialogue about some of the more common myths and misconceptions of BC’s continuing care sector,” says Daniel Fontaine, CEO for the BCCPA. “A number of the survey results will come as a surprise to policy makers and those working within the sector.”
“The poll outlines varying degrees of concern from British Columbians, particularly in regards to the kind of system that will be in place when they require residential or homecare services,” says Mario Canseco. “Still, there are specific issues where the analysis from residents is either too optimistic, such as the amount of money spent on meals, and others where the perceptions are dire and do not match the reality, such as wait times.”
For a complete breakdown and analysis of the survey results, please visit www.bccare.ca/survey/.
Various media sources have been covering the results of the poll. See below for highlights.
More seniors services needed in B.C.: poll
System too focused on acute care, say majority of survey respondents
BY ROB SHAW, VANCOUVER SUN APRIL 26, 2015
VICTORIA — More than half of British Columbians think the health care system focuses too much on hospitals and emergency rooms and not enough on services like residential care homes, long-term care beds and services for chronically ill seniors, suggests a new poll.
The survey, by Insights West for the B.C. Care Providers Association, showed 62 per cent of residents polled feel the system is too focused on acute care.
Daniel Fontaine, CEO of the Care Providers Association, said spending health care dollars to support seniors in residential or home care costs a couple hundred dollars per day, compared to that same senior taking up a bed in an emergency room or hospital for up to $1,800 a day.
The B.C. government is slowly adjusting its policies to reallocate some of the billions of dollars it spends annually on urgent care toward home and community care as it grapples with a growing elderly population, more seniors with complex care needs, clogged emergency rooms and limited money available in the provincial budget.
A policy paper released by the Ministry of Health in March describes how “appropriate reallocations from acute to the community services sector must become part of … health authority planning and going forward a majority of net new funding must be assigned to developing primary and community services.”
Fontaine said his association, which represents more than 260 private and non-profit community care providers, also wants government to come up with a more equitable, transparent way to fund residential care facilities.
The current system sees contracts tendered between health authorities and home care companies based largely upon individual negotiations…Continue reading.
Most British Columbians want more health focus on long-term care: survey
Posted Apr 27, 2015 9:53 am PDT
Last Updated Apr 27, 2015 at 9:54 am PDT
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – They’re the places we turn to in the event of sudden illness or injury. But is our health care system too focused on things like hospitals and emergency rooms?
A new survey suggests most of us would like to see more attention on other areas, like long-term care beds, services for seniors with chronic illnesses, and residential care homes.
Daniel Fontaine, CEO of the BC Care Providers Association says more than 60 per cent of people polled by Insights West feel that way, and more than two thirds of us think the government doesn’t put enough money into residential care…Continue reading.
