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Frequently asked questions

Aren’t for-profit long-term care homes the problem? Why not nationalize long-term care homes and make them non-profit and publicly owned?

95% of people do not want to live in long-term care.

For too long, disabled people have been removed from their communities, forced into overcrowded and underfunded institutions. Over time, who owns these facilities has changed, but what has remained stable is the overcrowding, underfunding, segregation, lack of choice and lack of autonomy.

Nationalization has been the mainstream response to the current crises in long-term care. But nationalization and funding non-profit homes in no way disrupt the removal of disabled people from their homes, families and communities

into warehouses. Our communities are stronger when disabled people are part of them. Nationalizing long-term care only normalizes the use of warehouses and segregation to provide supports.

While for-profit homes accounted for more deaths, particularly in provinces like Ontario, the non-profit and municipal long-term care system still had disproportionate rates of death. The truth is current austerity governments are also focused on cutting corners to save costs.

Why not hire more staff to improve the care given in long-term care homes?

Staffers at long-term care homes are undoubtedly overworked. But more staff won’t fix the crux of the issue: People with disabilities don’t want to live in long-term care homes, they want to live in community. Instead, we should re-invest in the community supports centered on agency and interdependence that people with disabilities are advocating for.

Shouldn’t we just invest more money to improve living conditions in long-term care homes?

While long-term care homes, public and private, are vastly underfunded, increasing investment in long-term care homes reinforces the segregation and institutionalization of people with disabilities as the norm. People with disabilities want to live in community, and we should invest in the at-home supports they are calling for.

What about people who need 24-hour support?

People who need 24-hour support can receive that support in their homes! Access to home care, nursing, and community-based supports are the solution to the support needs of disabled people.

What are some alternatives to long-term care homes? What would de-institutionalization look like?

We all require supports, and by divesting from state and corporation-run structures, we can create and invest in accessible, voluntary, community-run services and infrastructures that meet everyone’s needs. These alternatives to institutions will give people agency over the type of care they receive, and allow them to retain decision-making power over where they live.