TORONTO — Canadian Red Cross teams are providing short-term support to the Prescott and Russell Residence long-term care home in Hawkesbury, to assist with ongoing efforts to keep residents, staff and caregivers safe. Ontario welcomes this support from the federal government.

The Ontario government is working arm-in-arm with the federal government and the Canadian Red Cross to deliver temporary assistance to this high-priority long-term care home that is facing significant challenges due to COVID-19. The Canadian Red Cross will assist with epidemic prevention control and help with daily living activities such as the delivery of meals, housekeeping and light cleaning duties. Team members will also socialize and engage with residents so that the home's frontline workers can continue to focus on providing direct quality care to residents.

"Our government's top priority is to keep Ontarians safe, especially our long-term care home residents who are most vulnerable," said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. "We are grateful to the federal government for supporting the Canadian Red Cross in offering resident-centred support to help ensure the Prescott and Russell Residence staff have the resources they need to provide quality care while combatting the spread of COVID-19."

"In May, we made a commitment to provide up to $100 million to the Canadian Red Cross to support COVID-19 and other disaster responses, and the Government of Canada will continue to use this program to support provinces and territories as their needs evolve throughout this pandemic," said the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. "Our nation's seniors deserve to be safe, respected, and live in dignity, and we will be there for them and for their families during this difficult time."

"In support of the provincial government, the Canadian Red Cross is committed to helping seniors living in long-term care homes and we are mobilizing expert teams to work alongside staff to help ease the strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. With the second wave underway, the Red Cross is well-positioned to apply the experience gained from recent long-term care work in Quebec combined with its expertise in epidemic prevention and control. With support from the federal government, the Red Cross continues to recruit for paid and volunteer positions to assist with pandemic efforts and we encourage people to visit redcross.ca to find out more information," said Tanya Elliott, Vice President - Ontario, Canadian Red Cross.

Working with the Canadian Red Cross is the latest in a series of actions the province has taken to prevent and control outbreaks in long-term care homes. The government's robust plan, COVID-19: Long-term care preparedness, includes investments of more than half a billion dollars to protect long-term care residents, caregivers and staff from future waves of COVID-19, which includes:

• $405 million to help homes with operating pressures related to COVID-19, including infection prevention and containment measures, staffing supports, and purchasing additional supplies and PPE;
• $61.4 million for minor capital repairs and renovations in homes to improve infection prevention and control. These repairs and renovations may include minor upgrades to support physical distancing, plumbing or water supply cleaning, updating HVAC systems, or repairing or replacing furniture and equipment that cannot be fully cleaned;
• $40 million to support homes that have been impacted by the changes in occupancy numbers due to COVID-19. As the sector has been directed to stop admissions of third and fourth residents to larger rooms, operating budgets may be impacted. This funding will help stabilize homes through the transition to lower occupancy rooms;
• $30 million to allow long-term care homes to hire and train more infection prevention and control staff, including $20 million for additional personnel and $10 million to fund training for new and existing staff. Over 150 new staff will be hired as a result;
• $2.8 million to extend the High Wage Transition Fund to ensure that gaps in long-term care staffing can continue to be addressed during the pandemic;
• The government continues to look at innovative solutions to provide more care where and when people need it. Through the skills of community paramedics and working with municipal partners, the government will be making an investment to help people on the long-term care waitlist stay in their own homes longer.

Conditions at long-term care homes across the province continue to be monitored and tracked daily. Canadian Red Cross support may be redeployed to other sites, but those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis with consultation from all involved parties.