Average long-term care assessments take more than two months in New Brunswick: survey

A new survey outlines the wait times to receive long-term care for seniors in New Brunswick.

A new survey says the average long-term care assessment in New Brunswick takes more than two months to complete, but a majority of clients express satisfaction with the service and other health-options once they receive them.

The New Brunswick Health Council released its 2024 survey on publicly-funded health care in the province on Tuesday. Released every three years, the report evaluates the quality of the services from a client perspective.

The survey notes 23 per cent of New Brunswick’s population is aged 65 or older and almost 90 per cent of them reported being diagnosed with or being treated for one or more chronic health conditions.

“Aging is good. It’s good that people are aging,” said Stéphane Robichaud, CEO of the health council. “What we’re really looking at here is that within that aging population there’s a proportion, often for health reasons, that require some support, some services, particularly in order to stay at home.”

The health council says access to the extra-mural program (which includes health care) can vary depending on the service. The median wait time for nursing services is two days while the median wait time for rehabilitation services by an occupational therapist or physiotherapist is 13 days.

The survey says the baseline wait time is three days and the target is one day.

“It can be very lengthy,” Robichaud said. “It can vary across the province and there’s also some issues when it comes to coordination of some of these services.”

The wait times for non-medical home support services can be much longer. The survey says the average wait time for the completion of a long-term care assessment for seniors is 67 days in New Brunswick.

It can also take an average of 76 days to get home support for seniors, which means the entire application process can take four months or longer.

“Long wait times may lead to negative impacts on quality of life, deterioration of health, and hospitalizations,” the report reads. “Citizens seeking these services may also decide to use other private home care services that might cost them out-of-pocket, or to visit the hospital emergency department. Furthermore, without the support of professional services, there is an increased burden on informal caregivers.”

Cecile Cassista, executive director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights, said she’s very positive about the report.

“It’s well laid out and it really focuses on home care,” said Cassista.

Cassista said the wait of four months for the application process of at-home services could be even longer depending on the situation.

“The longer you’re in a hospital setting, obviously your health care changes, so therefore it takes longer to get into the system,” she said. “What we’re looking at is making sure we have affordable home care and that we also have the staffing. Those are some of the obstacles that we’re facing right now.”

Cassista said she’s seeing more and more seniors who want to stay at home, but getting the proper care is critical.

“I’d just like to see the assessment process streamlined. Assessment right now is basically far too complex. It’s done by hospitals, doctors,” said Cassista. “We also have Social Development stepping in. That is one of the big reasons why we need seniors in a department of their own.”

The survey says 97 per cent of citizens who received extra-mural program services gave it a favourable rating while 89 per cent of people who used home support services gave it a positive rating.

“Despite the overall success of these programs, many clients continue to rely on family and friends for additional care,” the report says. “Moving forward, as the aging population grows, it will be essential to address these challenges to ensure that all citizens can continue to age with dignity and independence in their own homes.”

The report notes that the percentage of the New Brunswick population age 65 or older is expected to reach nearly 28 per cent by 2030.

-With files from Derek Haggett

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