Health Human Resources in Long-Term Care: Ten global insights about how to increase and stabilize the long-term care workforce in Canada

This Issue Note summarizes our understanding of measures in Canada and among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries that have helped increase the long-term care (LTC) workforce. Lessons for Canada draw from both the published literature and consultations with expert key informants.​

In this Issue Note we consider selected measures from Canada and internationally that have helped to increase the LTC workforce, both before and during the COVID‑19 pandemic. This includes health care providers (e.g. nurses, physicians) and those who provide personal or community support (whose title varies depending on jurisdiction) in institutional, community, and home settings. ​

Summary of measures that help to recruit and retain the LTC workforce​

1. Provide less involuntarily part-time work​.
2. Extend pro-rated benefits and protections to all LTC workers, including self-employed​.
3. Increase overall public funding to enable wage parity and equity​.
4. Increase reliability and flexibility of scheduling for workers​.
5. Transform ‘undeclared’ work into ‘declared’ work.
6. Create healthier work environments that support purpose, respect, and autonomy​.
7. Credential internationally trained professionals​.
8. Modernize national licensure for Canadian-licensed LTC providers, including physicians and nurses​.
9. Modernize the national health human resource strategy.
10. Consider implementing national long-term care insurance to dedicate funding for long-term care service.​