ABSTRACT

As the population continues to age in Canada, there are a number of challenges ahead, one of which includes the care of our most frail older citizens. A number of trends account for this concern. The rising incidence of chronic illness with increasing age has escalated demands for care provision for elderly persons. At the same time, recent changes in patterns of care provision for older people, including the closure of long-term care facilities and underfunding of home care (Armstrong & Kitts, 2004; Aronson, 2004; Chappell, 1999), have led to a decline in the availability of formal homecare services. In Canada, a reduction in the proportion of provincial funds devoted to homecare services has been used as a primary cost-cutting strategy in the current health care reform. Because seniors comprise the majority of users of homecare, this policy decision has had a particularly significant impact on the care of older people (Elder Health Elder Care Coalition, 2005).