The Ontario government has announced that it is investing $9 million over three years to launch a new program aimed at improving care for those living in long-term care with dementia.
The Improving Dementia Care Program (IDCP) is a targeted investment that uses “emotion-based models” of care for residents with dementia.
Designed to improve the well-being of residents with dementia by prioritizing their needs and fostering close relationships between staff, residents and families, the IDCP will support staff training and new programs for residents.
Long-term care homes can apply for participation in the IDCP through their Ontario Health regional office.
In a release, the Ontario government says the program is expected to serve 1,800 people in its first year.
“These investments are one more way our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is helping to protect Ontario’s seniors,” says Minister for Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho. “The new dementia care pilot will help our seniors live with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
More than 60 per cent of residents in Ontario’s long-term care homes live with a dementia diagnosis, with the number of Ontarians with dementia expected to triple by 2050.
