There Are Solutions at Hand … What Are We Waiting For?

Discussions of seniors with complex co-morbid conditions "clogging up" or "blocking" acute care beds have been persistent over the last two decades. In reality, many of these hospital admissions are likely avoidable with the allocation of appropriate resources to manage their care in the community. While promises of enhanced community-based care and support have been touted for years, the solutions have been inadequate, and continue to fall short of the mark. Notwithstanding the likely need for more long-term residential care beds in the face of Canada's aging demographic, it is clear that much more could be done to maintain seniors in their own homes or within residential care facilities - that is to say, out of the hospital!