The city of Toronto is launching a pilot project focused on building a new social model for long-term care called CareTO. 

Toronto Mayor John Tory and Scarborough Centre City Coun. Michael Thompson announced that the facility will be called the Lakeshore Lodge. 

The CareTO Lakeshore Lodge is focused on hiring additional direct care staff to meet complex and diverse needs of residents, including emotionally-centred approaches. For now, the pilot project will focus on four hours of direct care per resident, per day. 

The new staff will include nurse practitioners, personal support workers, rehabilitation assistants, recreation coordinators, cleaners and dining support. These new hires will receive additional training and education to help guide them through this project’s transition. 

The pilot project will be for 12 months before evaluating its roll out to other long-term care homes in Toronto. 

The project hopes to achieve the following goals according to a recent press release:

i) Shifting away from the traditional task-oriented, schedule-driven models of care

ii) Ensuring consistent caregivers for residents to help promote meaningful engagement.

iii) Redesigning the living spaces to be less institutional and more reminiscent of a home 

iv) Address the significant diversity of Toronto’s senior residents, including by promoting resident-centred menus that accommodate culturally diverse and evolving preferences.

Approximately $16 million will fund the project. This includes $12 million from Ontario and about $4 million from the city 

For the evaluation process throughout the next 12 months, the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Social Work will evaluate reduced staff turnover, resident and family satisfaction and relationships between staff and residents. 

Toronto Mayor John Tory commented on the need for more critical support for the city’s seniors, and applauds the new approaches towards more direct care and funding for increased capacities and capabilities. 

Coun. Thompson said the approach "needs to be holistic," and that the city is committed to maintaining high standards of care throughout the duration of the pilot project. Also, he mentions building strong and supportive relationships with staff and residents as a priority. 

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on several Ontario long-term health care homes, Tory is hoping this pilot project will help establish new strategies for better quality of care. 

Other than the funding agreements, Tory said he could not speak on what the province’s plans, but reiterated the city’s commitment to the project and future expansions. 

During the 2022 Ontario election campaign, Premier Doug Ford’s healthcare platform mentioned new beds and more facilities for the province’s seniors, but there have been no mention of specific plans yet. 

CJRU reached out to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Social Work and to Toronto Public Health for comment. CJRU is awaiting a response. 

More details to come. 

Listen to CJRU's news coverage of the pilot project launch: