Health Standards Organization (HSO) needs your help to transform and elevate service standards in Canada’s long-term care (LTC) homes. HSO is collaborating with the Standards Council of Canada and the Canadian Standards Association to support the development of two new standards for LTC homes based on the needs of residents, their families and the people who work in LTC.

LTC currently supports more than 211,000 Canadians. If you have a loved one who has needed LTC, you know the importance of offering the highest standard of care. Your ideas are needed to help the system improve.

HSO provides evidence-based practice standards, assessment programs and quality improvement solutions to help ensure safe and reliable quality care for LTC residents across Canada. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many pre-existing issues with LTC and further strained the LTC system. This has prompted HSO to revise its existing standards to focus on the development of:  

• resident- and family-centred care practices that value the importance of respect, dignity, trust and quality of life;
• safe, reliable and high-quality care based on evidence-informed practices;
• a healthy and competent workforce to ensure sustainable, team-based, compassionate care; and
• an organizational culture that is outcome-focused and strives to ensure the safety and well-being of all Canadians.

Canada’s new National LTC Standards, will be launched in 2022. As part of this program, the federal government has pledged $3 billion over 5 years to help the provinces and territories implement new evidence-based practice standards to ensure safe and reliable quality care for LTC residents across Canada.  

Visit HSO’s website to learn more about the program.