Long-Term Care in Crisis: The Reality of COVID-19

Long-term care (LTC) in Canada is in crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 82% of all recorded COVID-19 deaths nationwide are connected to LTC and retirement homes. This research will accelerate the availability of high-quality and real-time evidence to support Canada's rapid response to the global pandemic in order to better manage COVID-19 and position Canada to meet future health threats with particular reference to LTC. The goal of this research is to conduct a thorough examination of the LTC system. The limited capacity of LTC homes in Canada to manage COVID-19 has been emphasized in the media. The challenge facing governments is to understand what went wrong and to create policies that ensure improvements across the LTC sector. The transdisciplinary research team comprises experts in health services, political science, organization and management, finance, health law and health economics, sociology and labour studies. The research findings will provide comprehensive information on critical factors necessary for decision making in LTC. The evidence will provide tangible solutions for multiple stakeholders, including governments, service providers and healthcare workers.