Promoting Aging in the Community Through the Community Care Access Centre Reform in Ontario, the Weaknesses and Strengths

Background: The Community Care Access Corporations (CCAC) Act (2001) in Ontario, Canada, addressed an emerging need to support aging in the community, decrease informal caregiver burden, decrease time spent in hospitals and to provide one point of entry for various services (1). Prior to the establishment of CCAC services, provincial acute in-home care services (established in 1972), provincial chronic home care service (implemented 1975-1984), and co-ordination services for long-term care facilities (implemented 1978-1984), each provided in-home care and long-term-care facility placement support (2). The reform was achieved by consolidating different types of in-home care and creating a single point of entry for accessing the services provided. Methods: This is a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) Analysis of the CCAC Act (2001) in Ontario, Canada. Result: CCAC services led to positive impacts in the community, including, reducing the burden of complex situations on informal workers and immigrant paraprofessionals (3). While the advantages were widely recognized – allowing patients to recuperate more quickly and comfortably, reducing physician workload, and addressing caregiver burnout – and while this service has been implemented in some geographical areas, it was not a feasible large-scale addition to CACC services (4). Identified shortcomings of the CCAC, include limited ability to support chronic and long-term care patients, friction between the province and healthcare workers, and insufficient formal care that increases caregiver burdens. Discussion: Additional assessments of the CCAC are needed to improve the overall quality of care provided, especially post-covid. Specifically, the utilization of need-based assessment by in-home service providers will allow a multifaceted improvement in the quality of care and perhaps even wait times. By using a needs-based assessment, the service provider can identify what type of support the client and the caregivers require. This policy analysis can be used as an example to support further patient-centred care models. References: Community Care Access Corporations Act 2001, SO 2001, c 33, http://canlii.ca/t/ldxh. MOHLTC - Community Care Access Centres. 2006. Client Services Policy Manual. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/pub/manuals/ccac/csp_manual.html Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. 2001, March 17. Minutes of proceedings and evidence. http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/soci/14ev-e.htm?comm_id=47 Swanson, L. 1999. "" Hospital"" care moves into the home in London, Ont. Canadian Medical Association. Journal, 161(11), 1437. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/161/11/1437.full.pdf