Ontario invests in Simcoe County long-term care homes

Long-term care facility - file image.

Six long-term care (LTC) homes in Simcoe County received nearly $390,000 from the Ontario government to help care for residents with complex medical needs.

The funding comes from Ontario’s Local Priorities Fund, which helps LTC home staff purchase specialized equipment and train staff.

Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke highlighted how the investment would reduce unnecessary hospital visits.

"Thanks to this vital investment through the Local Priorities Fund, both Georgian Manor in Penetanguishene and Trillium Manor in Orillia are better equipped to assess, treat, and support residents with increasingly complex medical needs, while also helping to reduce avoidable emergency department visits and hospital admissions," Clarke said.

Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop echoed the warden’s sentiments. "Specialized equipment and services mean that long-term care home residents can get the care they need without the stress of a trip to the hospital."

In 2024-25, the province invested $68,000 in Georgian Manor in Penetanguishene, $30,000 in Trillium Manor in Orillia, $37000 in Hillcrest Village in Midland, $66,000 in Oak Terrace in Orillia, $127,000 in Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, and $60,000 in Leacock Centre in Orillia.

At the Leacock Centre, the funding will be used for a new WanderGuard system to protect residents with dementia who may leave without supervision.

“The system should also provide families with increased peace of mind, support resident independence by maintaining their freedom of movement within the home and improve team efficiency by providing immediate alerts if a resident attempts to unsafely leave the home,,” said Griffin Allen, director of LTC operations for Jarlette Health Services, which operates Leacock Care Centre.

The Ford government said the funding is part of a larger plan to improve care, upgrade facilities and expand support for seniors across Ontario.