Government supports allied health services in private long-term care homes

CANADA, April 30 - The Prince Edward Island Government has entered into a one-year funding agreement to enhance allied health services for residents at private long-term care homes.  

A total of $800,000, from the Canada-Prince Edward Island Aging with Dignity Funding Agreement announced in March 2024, has been committed to the pilot project to improve residents’ quality of life and create better alignment between public and private long-term care homes.

“Allied health services play an important role when it comes to providing quality care, often resulting in better health outcomes for residents who receive therapeutic interventions. This funding agreement is a positive step towards improving access to allied health providers in private long-term care homes across PEI.”

- Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane

Private long-term care operators were asked to identify which allied health professionals are consulted most frequently and they identified the need for registered dieticians (RD), occupational therapists (OT) and physiotherapists (PT). 

Also, the provincial government and Holland College recently partnered with two private long-term care homes to give students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant/Physiotherapy Assistant (OTA/PTA) program the opportunity to support allied healthcare professionals in providing rehabilitation care to residents.  

Based on feedback from operators and the success of the OTA/PTA pilot, RDs, OTs, PTs, OTAs and PTAs are included in the Allied Health Services in Private LTC Implementation Pilot.

This pilot will benefit dozens of Islanders living in private long-term care homes. 

“The Nursing Home Association of Prince Edward Island (NHAPEI) is encouraged by the funding recently secured from the Government of PEI for the purpose of attaining Allied Health Services within our ten long term care homes,” said Darlene Oakes, Executive Director, NHAPEI. “Residents, families, and staff have expressed the value of having all healthcare workers contributing to care plans and care provision. This is a significant contribution to the person-centred care that our homes offer.”

In Prince Edward Island, long-term care services are delivered in both public and private facilities. Currently, there are 1,302 beds in the province, with 604 in nine publicly owned facilities and 698 in ten privately owned facilities.

Media contact:
Maureen Coulter
Department of Health and Wellness
maureencoulter@gov.pe.ca

Backgrounder: 

•    The PEI Government entered into the Canada-Prince Edward Island Aging with Dignity Funding Agreement 2023-24 to 2027-28 in March 2024. Under this agreement, funding was provided to support four initiatives in long-term care, including the expansion of allied health care providers in private long-term care.