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Media Release
OLTCA Welcomes Direction and Content of Sharkey Report
For Immediate Release
June 17, 2008
Markham… OLTCA welcomes the release of the Sharkey report and looks forward to working with Ms. Sharkey, the Ministry and other stakeholders on its implementation to enhance the care experience for long term care residents and their families.
“We welcome that Ms. Sharkey has validated the need for additional resources in long term care homes,” OLTCA Executive Director, Janet Lambert, said, “and we are pleased that the Minister has indicated that additional resources are a government priority. We are equally pleased that both Ms. Sharkey and the Ministry recognize that quality care is about more than a staffing number.”
In its submission to Ms. Sharkey’s review OLTCA pointed out that quality resident care is determined by a combination of factors. These included appropriate staffing levels, a supportive work environment, measureable resident quality outcomes, a compliance framework that supports performance improvement, and resident and family satisfaction surveys.
“We believe the importance of this report lies in its recognition of the many factors that contribute to a quality resident care experience and the importance of comprehensively and collaboratively addressing all of these factors,” Ms. Lambert said.
“With a commitment from the government and all of the stakeholders to focus on meeting the needs of the residents, I am confident that collectively we can achieve the vision of this report for the benefit of those to whom it matters most,” she said.
OLTCA represents the private, not-for-profit, charitable and municipal operators of 430 long term care homes that provide care and services to some 50,000 residents throughout Ontario.
Media Contact: Gilbert Heffern, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, 905-470-8995, ext. 25; 647-999-8341 (cell); gheffern@oltca.com