Re-imagining long-term care: Analyzing the health, well-being and employment of care workers using linked data and intersectional approaches

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected long-term care in Canada, exposing gaps in the provision of care for a vulnerable aging population. Moreover, the pandemic revealed a lack of information collected about health care workers in nursing homes, demonstrating the sector's unpreparedness to grapple with the caregiving challenges for older adults. The health needs faced by older adults in long-term care (LTC) can be addressed by focusing on improving the quality of care provided by the healthcare workers and the facilities in which they work. Improving the lives of caregivers and their working conditions can enhance the essential care services and supports that residents rely on for survival and daily living. Approximately, 500,000 Canadians live in nursing and retirement homes, and over the next 15 years, the number of Canadians 75 years old and over is expected to double. There is a need to examine how we value older adults and the workers who care for them. LTC workers include healthcare aides, personal support workers, registered practical nurses and registered nurses. The workforce is greatly gendered, made up mainly of women. Some research reveals that women who identify as migrants and/or people of colour compose a large proportion of low-waged care workers. Low wages, few benefits, limited protections, and part-time work result in high job losses and staff shortages. During the pandemic, over 50% of LTC homes reported critical staffing shortages that reduced the quality of resident care and endangered workers' safety. Furthermore, the literature reveals care workers providing direct services to COVID-19 patients experienced higher levels of moral distress, anxiety, and depression. For the fellowship, I will use population health surveys, linked with immigrant and heath databases at Statistics Canada to examine the health and well-being of the LTC workforce, the impact of COVID-19 and the lasting consequences on their health.