The Long-Term Care Homes Act 2006 (Canada) announced that it is lacking in many ways. It asked for more accountability from the homes, but no responsibility from the government side for ensuring that we have funding to achieve the accountability that they would like. The province allocates $5.56 per day for food and beverage for each nursing home resident. That is less than the $6.11 per person per day the province spends on food and beverage for inmates at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.
The average at provincially run correctional facilities is $7.09 per person.Highlights of the new Act include: a residents' Bill of Rights that entitles them to such things as protection from neglect or abuse and any alleged or suspected abuse or neglect must be reported; enhanced "whistle blower" protections for nursing home staff, residents and volunteers; a registered nurse would be required to be on duty in the home at all times, unannounced annual inspections and the creation of the Office of the Long-Tern Care Homes Resident and Family Adviser to provide information and assist nursing home residents, their families and others.
The local operators say the legislation gives the province absolute power to order anything at a nursing home without any corresponding reference to how that compliance will be funded. (Hamilton Mountain Nursing Home Abuse)
