The New Brunswick Health Council (NBHC) is publishing the results of its most recent survey regarding home care services in New Brunswick. For the first time, comparisons can be made between survey results (2015 and 2012) to see if any improvements have been made.
"The majority of citizens receiving publicly funded home care services in New Brunswick are seniors. More emphasis is put on home care and support services now, with the ultimate goal of helping citizens stay in their home, and those services are highly valued", said Stéphane Robichaud, CEO of the NBHC. "The results from our survey can help set benchmarks and targets for current and upcoming provincial initiatives geared toward seniors."
This year again, satisfaction remains high. In terms of the services received, 95.1% of respondents were satisfied with the Extra-Mural Program, and 88.7% indicated they were satisfied with services received from home care agencies or home support workers, results similar to those of 2012. However, unmet needs are a growing concern, as 14.5% of respondents have reported in 2015 that more could be done to help them stay at home (compared to 11.4% in 2012), such as more hours of service on weeknights or on weekends.
Some of the survey results related to safety for the Extra-mural Program have improved, as did some of the accessibility indicators for home support services. However, several indicators measuring the quality of services are going in the wrong direction, such as:
- 22.4% of clients from the Extra-Mural Program are “very confident” in managing their chronic health conditions (compared to 26.4% in 2012)
- 46.4% of clients from the Extra-Mural Program reported that they were admitted to the hospital or visited the hospital emergency room while receiving services (compared to 42.8% in 2012)
- 23.0% of clients receiving home support services reported that there were limits or reductions in the types of services available (compared to 19.8% in 2012)
- 30.4% of clients receiving home support services reported that there were limits or reductions in the duration of services or the number of hours available (compared to 25.6% in 2012)
To see the complete results, the NBHC encourages New Brunswickers to visit the NBHC website. An interactive map will help citizens locate the results at the provincial level and by community. The map can be found here.
The NBHC has been established as an independent organization that measures, monitors and evaluates New Brunswick’s health system performance through a citizen-centered dual mandate of performance measurement and citizen engagement.
MEDIA CONTACTS
New Brunswick Health Council: Christine Paré, 506-869-6714, Christine.pare@nbhc.ca