The massacre that occurred in long-term care residential centers due to COVID-19 should encourage Quebec to fundamentally reorganize long-term care and review the governance of CHSLDs.
This is the conclusion reached by a new study by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) unveiled on Wednesday.
The study led by Yves Couturier, Maxime Guillette and David Lanneville recommends the creation of a “Qualité Québec” agency whose role would be to improve the care of the elderly on a lasting basis.
The dysfunctions observed in the care and services of the elderly, undoubtedly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to a disaster that should not have surprised anyone, say the authors of the study.
For the researchers, the failure of previous reforms highlights the chronic underinvestment, poor management of establishments, the problem of recruiting and retaining staff as well as a lack of anticipation on the effects of the aging of the population. .
To remedy the situation, the researchers urge the Legault government to abandon “half-measures” and urgently launch three projects deemed to be priorities.
They ask to reassess the needs of seniors across the continuum of care, to review the governance and organization of the work of CHSLDs and to create an agency of the “Qualité Québec” type capable of contributing to transformation and adaptation. of the entire health system.
“Our proposals establish a detailed roadmap of changes that will improve long-term care in Quebec. But we must seize now this opportunity to act decisively to prevent it from turning into a missed event, ”said Yves Couturier, co-author of the study, in a statement.