Hastings-Lennox & Addington MPP Ric Bresee says a recent funding announcement shows his government is aware that big investments in health care are needed now.
Ontario recently pledged $350,200 for Hospice North Hastings to add two more beds and new staff. It’s also getting a share of $140,200 to support already existing hospice beds in Hastings County.
Bresee says commitments like this should have been made years ago, to prepare for high demand on health care services from aging baby boomers.
“We should have been well predicting the baby boom (entering senior years), both in terms of the increased need of seniors, as time progresses, but also in terms of the health care resources,” he says. “The humans that are staffing these facilities would be declining, with (baby boomers entering retirement years). Covid caused that to come to a more extreme peak.”
Bresee touted the fact that Ontario is also creating programs to train more nurses, who can work in their home communities.
MyBancroftNow has reached out to Hospice North Hastings to comment on the funding announcement but has yet to hear back.