LTC Quality Improvement supported a community of 286 long-term care homes across Canada to implement quality improvement projects to support these objectives. This program ran from April to October 2022 and was led by Healthcare Excellence Canada, with support from Health Quality BC (formerly the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council).
While the projects varied depending on the unique needs of each long-term care home, example projects included:
- Implementing an employee wellness program
- Providing training for staff, such as mental health first aid
- Introducing person-centred care planning
- Enhancing resident-led activities
To learn more about some of the projects, read the LTC Quality Improvement Showcase Poster Presentations.
How this program contributed to better long-term care in Canada
LTC Quality Improvement supported long-term care homes to strengthen their capacity to conduct quality improvement. Participating teams reported that they:
- Increased their knowledge of quality improvement
- Made their organization’s culture more conducive to quality improvement
- Increased their organization’s adoption of long-term care best practices
- Developed new relationships with other leaders and organizations
Teams implementing quality improvement projects focusing on person-centred care reported:
- Strengthened relationships between staff and residents
- Reduced falls
- Improved resident experience and quality of life
- Improved social engagement among residents
Teams implementing quality improvement projects focused specifically on staff well-being reported:
- Clearer communication
- Effective teamwork
- A more positive work environment
- Improved staffing
The approach of the LTC Quality Improvement program
Participating long-term care homes received a range of supports through this program, including:
- Seed funding of up to $15,000 per long-term care home
- Coaching and opportunities to connect with and learn from long-term care homes across Canada working on similar projects or in similar regions
- Training on quality improvement principles and methods
- Access to monthly webinars featuring topics related to best practices in long-term care
HEC continues to support long-term care homes across Canada. Learn more about Reimagining LTC, our current programming to enable a healthy workforce to provide person-centred care.