The Monitoring Seniors Services report focuses on key services in the province that fall under the Advocate’s legislated mandate. It highlights where seniors’ needs are being met and where improvements are most needed. Access to health care, appropriate housing, adequate transportation, enough income to meet basic needs such as food, shelter and medicines and protection from abuse and neglect are key to the health and well-being of seniors.
This report, first published in 2015, is updated each year reflecting the latest information available. Monitoring Seniors Services 2024 is the 10th edition and focuses on 2023/24 data.
New data in the 2024 monitoring report found that over the past five years:
- The percentage of the population 85+ increased 10%, and 65+ rose 15%.
- For people 65+, there were slight decreases in hospitalization and emergency department visits, and the percentage of people with dementia remained the same.
- The waitlists for knee and hip replacements for people 65+ increased 53% and 59% respectively.
- There were 6,500 people waiting for a publicly-subsidized long-term care (LTC) bed in 2023/24, a 150% increase from five years ago (2,600).
- The average wait time for someone admitted to LTC from hospital was 36 days, compared to 225 days for someone assessed as eligible but not urgent from the community in 2023/24.
- The number of publicly-subsidized home support clients increased 11%, while the rate of clients per 1,000 seniors decreased 7%.
- The number of applications for seniors subsidized housing was almost 14,000 in 2023/24, a 59% increase over five years; just 6% of total applicants received a unit last year.
- The number of seniors receiving the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) subsidy decreased 8%, and the number of clients per 1,000 seniors decreased 18%.
- The number of unfulfilled HandyDart ride requests increased 44%, while the number of rides provided decreased 15%.