A new survey suggests that the pandemic has changed Canadians’ view on long-term care.
New data from the Angus Reid Institute finds four-in-five those polled say the pandemic fundamentally altered the way they view the industry.
Further, half (47 percent) now say they will do everything in their power to avoid entering long term care themselves, and to keep close family members out.
One-in-five (22 percent) say they’ll start saving for such a plan, while more than twice that number say they “dread” the thought of living in long-term care (44 percent).
According to the results, if the industry is to be improved, three-quarters say either significant changes (45 percent) or a total overhaul (31 percent) is necessary.
For some, this means more federal government involvement.
At least three-in-five residents in B.C., Manitoba, Ontario, and Atlantic Canada say that the federal government should be directly involved in creating standards for the industry.
That said, in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec, the same number disagree, and say it should be solely up to the provinces.
Other key findings include
- Three-in-five say private care should be minimized or phased out, rising to two-thirds among those 55 years of age and older. That said, two-in-five say that private care can still be a part of the solution to the problems facing the industry
- Seven-in-ten (72 percent) say Canada should invest more in homecare, and a full majority (55 percent) say they would be willing to pay more in taxes to accomplish it in their own province.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted the online survey from March 15th to 18th, among a representative randomized sample of 1,503 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.
