By Heather Janes, CEO Christie Gardens
Canada’s aging population is creating serious challenges for eldercare, and we need immediate, comprehensive policy solutions to address them. A major issue is the shortage of Personal Support Workers (PSWs), who are essential to eldercare services. This shortage is impacting the health and well-being of seniors across the country. While it is crucial to tackle this gap, we must also look at immigration and regulatory pathways alongside building a system that nurtures quality care from the ground up. A well-rounded approach, including targeted immigration policies, investment in training and worker retention, and supportive regulations, will be key to ensuring sustainable, high-quality eldercare in Canada.
One promising way to address the PSW shortage is by tapping into immigration. Canada has a history of benefiting from immigration to fill labor gaps across different sectors, and healthcare is no exception. By attracting skilled workers from countries with strong eldercare traditions, Canada can strengthen its PSW workforce. Immigration programs like the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can be tailored to better prioritize workers with the experience and training needed to fill critical positions quickly.
Additionally, offering pathways to permanent residency for PSWs could provide a long-term solution. Temporary foreign workers could transition into permanent residents, creating a stable and reliable workforce. Efforts to encourage immigration to rural and remote areas, where the PSW shortage is most severe, would also be beneficial. Financial incentives like relocation grants, housing support, and community engagement can help make these areas more attractive to newcomers, addressing both immediate and long-term workforce needs.
While immigration can help boost staffing levels, training and retention are just as important. PSWs and caregivers are at the heart of quality eldercare, and any policy designed to address the shortage must consider how to support and retain these workers. This involves increasing wages, improving working conditions, and providing thorough training.
Political leaders are already discussing permanent wage increases and better benefits for PSWs. While raising wages is important for attracting and keeping workers, it is equally important to invest in comprehensive training programs that prepare PSWs for the complex care needs of seniors. This is a major focus at Christie Gardens where, through the Christie Academy, we provide specialized elder-informed training for PSWs and others in the elder care field, focusing on gerontology and dementia care. This training model, which incorporates the voices of seniors—many with lived experience of dementia—seeks to engage seniors and PSWs as partners in building a better model of care and addresses the complicated emotional and cognitive challenges that caregivers will face when working with seniors.
Equally crucial is retention. The PSW sector faces high turnover rates, largely due to the physically and emotionally demanding nature of the work. Policies that focus on job security, mental health support, and opportunities for career growth can help reduce turnover and improve care quality. Eldercare should be seen as a respected, long-term career, not just a temporary job.
While it is encouraging to hear there is increasing political support for expanding home and community care, focusing exclusively on home care could hurt seniors and the overall system. Not every senior is suited for home care. Some have complex medical needs or cognitive impairments that make home care unsafe or impractical. Issues like inadequate space, lack of medical equipment, and mobility barriers can also make it harder for caregivers to provide proper care. Social isolation is another concern, especially if seniors do not have regular interaction with others. This can contribute to mental health problems like depression and anxiety, which can be worsened when caregivers are overburdened.
Expanding home care services is certainly a step in the right direction, but it is important to balance this with support for other areas of eldercare. Focusing solely on home care could lead to overworked caregivers, inconsistent care, and unequal access. Retirement communities, like Christie Gardens, and long-term care homes still play a vital role, especially for seniors with higher needs. Any increase in home care services must be backed by the right support for workers, resources, and quality care in both home and community settings.
As the eldercare sector grows, regulations are necessary to ensure residents get the care they need and that facilities maintaining proper standards. However, overly harsh regulations can have unintended consequences, especially if they focus more on compliance than on supporting caregivers and improving systems that promote good care.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada introduced stricter regulations for retirement homes and long-term care, including more inspections, staffing requirements, and infection control protocols. While these steps were essential for protecting vulnerable seniors, there is concern that a strict regulatory approach could discourage innovation and create a culture of fear within care organizations. Providers might prioritize checking boxes on compliance rather than fostering a positive, person-centered care environment. Additionally, if regulations are unrealistic or underfunded, they could make staffing shortages worse, leading to burnout and high turnover rates.
Instead of relying solely on punitive measures, regulations should focus on creating supportive systems that enable good care. This means ensuring staff training, reasonable staffing levels, and mental health support for caregivers. Regulations should encourage a culture of empathy, respect, and dignity for seniors, rather than just ticking off compliance requirements. Addressing systemic issues like underfunding and lack of support will be essential for creating an environment where quality care can thrive.
Canada’s eldercare system is at a critical point. The PSW shortage, combined with an aging population and growing demand, presents a significant challenge. But by prioritizing immigration to fill labor gaps, investing in training and retention, and implementing supportive regulations, Canada can build a sustainable, high-quality eldercare system that ensures seniors get the care, respect, and dignity they deserve.
