TORONTO, Nov. 20 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government risks making long term care the weak link in the province's health care continuum if it proceeds with plans to defer funding for new nursing and personal support worker positions to 2012-2013.

"We have been saying for years that our homes are struggling to meet the basic needs of residents - dressing, toileting and feeding," said Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS). "By bringing the remaining positions on in the coming fiscal year, the government would be able to provide an average of 3 worked hours of direct care per resident per day, which is the very minimum of where we need to be," added Rubin.

"We can't wait till 2012 to meet these basic care needs," said Rubin. "We are gravely concerned when the government's response to a challenging economy was to restrain investments in long term care through the delay of the 2000 nurses," Rubin added.

OANHSS is also recommending a committed and sustained response from government to help long term care homes effectively deal with resident mental health issues.

"We have put forward a number of recommendations related to special support for homes to deal with mental health issues and aggressive behaviours. If the government doesn't take immediate action, the public will lose faith in the system's ability to provide a safe and secure environment for seniors," said Rubin.

OANHSS recognizes the role the long term care sector can play in helping the government achieve its health care reform objectives, particularly those related to alternate level of care (ALC) and aging at home.

"Everyone is looking to long term care homes to pick up the heaviest care patients that are coming out of hospitals. We can't play that role unless we are staffed up to do so," said Rubin.

OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include municipal and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes, seniors' housing projects and community service agencies. Member organizations operate over 27,000 long term care beds and over 5,000 seniors' housing units across the province.

For a copy of OANHSS' long term care homes submission go to www.oanhss.org.