P.E.I. RNs call for home care to be entrenched in new health accord

P.E.I.'s registered nurses are calling for federally-funded home care to be a "greater priority" under a new health accord.

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Health ministers from across Canada began negotiating a new agreement in Toronto Monday.

"What we want is for home care to be a priority and to be included in the new multi-year health accord," said Becky Gosbee, the executive director of the Association of Registered Nurses of P.E.I.

This way, Canadians can stay in their own homes as long as possible, she said.

"We need a combination, a proper balance of home care to be available for people and in addition, if hospitalization and long-term care is needed, they also remain accessible," said Gosbee.

'People are much happier in their homes'

The nurses' group is joining the Canadian Nurses Association calling for a $3 billion dollar investment in home care over four years, something to which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed more than a year agoduring last year's election.

"We know people are much happier in their homes if they can be," Gosbee said.

With changing demographics, including children who work into their later years, seniors mayneed more supports to be able to stay at home, she said.

It's also cheaper to care for people at home rather than have them in a manor or in hospital, Gosbee noted about $55 per day, rather than $1,000 a day for hospital care.

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