Publicly-funded home care is provided to people who have health conditions that restrict their daily activities. Home care is an important support for many Ontarians. Our reliance may increase as our population ages, and needs may change. As the baby boomer cohorts enter their senior years, our aging population takes on a different character socially, culturally and ethnically. In the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), immigrant seniors receive less publicly-funded home care and report higher unmet care needs than non-immigrant seniors. The need for home care among immigrant seniors will continue to grow. The data in this study raises important questions about the future of home care for seniors from diverse ethnocultural groups. Home care must be provided equitably across the region to ensure healthy aging for all.
We need a plan now to ensure that we can properly deal with demographic and needs-based changes over time.