Older adults are turning to food banks at an alarming rate and are the fastest growing group of visitors in Canada, according to HungerCount 2021.

Food bank use has increased by a staggering 36 per cent among Ontario residents 65 and older in 2021 alone and has ballooned by 64 per cent since 2008. This holiday season, an unprecedented number of older Canadians will be struggling with food insecurity and hunger.

Covid risk assessment calculators are a recent weapon in people’s quest to go about their normal lives while staying safe. This one was created by Canada’s National Institute on Ageing, and it asked him questions such as how many people would be at the gathering, how old everyone is and whether everyone had been fully vaccinated.

“Everyone started this pandemic saying COVID doesn’t discriminate. It absolutely does. And it preys on every societal vulnerability we have — biological and social in particular,” said geriatrician Dr. Samir Sinha, the co-chair of the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University.

“Older women are much more likely to be living in poverty — and women outlive men. We know the greatest at-risk older population are older single women as they are disproportionately poorer. And those who are racialized are hit the hardest.”

How many co-ordinators do we need for one patient requiring half an hour of care a week? “The private companies are really interested in giving you as much care as possible, because they just send the bill back to the government,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, a leading geriatrician and Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing. But he agrees there is a lot of bureaucracy and the partners involved don’t always share information, which is one reason the private companies need their own co-ordinators and their own assessments.

The National Institute on Ageing, in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, has developed an online tool that allows people to input factors and assess the risk of contracting COVID-19 in advance of an upcoming gathering. There is both a three-minute survey and a more comprehensive 10-minute survey. “It’s as if you have your own private epidemiologist or infectious disease expert,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

The study, conducted by NIA Associate Fellow Edgardo Sepulveda and Ann-Sylvia Brooker of the University Health Network in Toronto, found that higher income inequality in a country was associated with more COVID-19 deaths across all age groups. There are a number of possible explanations for this association, such as a larger proportion of the population being more at risk. This may be due to higher exposure, more comorbidities or poorer access to treatment.

In October, Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing unveiled a survey that it had conducted in collaboration with HomeEquity Bank. The survey found that 77% of Canadian respondents in the 55-69 demographic are worried about their financial health. Worse, 79% of respondents revealed that their retirement income would not be enough for a comfortable retirement.

In Canada, at least 92% of seniors are vaccinated against COVID-19. Now experts want that same success with routine vaccinations. "We have to realize that there are actual things that we can do to prevent a lot of unnecessary death," said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. The NIA is targeting the big three: influenza, pneumococcal disease and shingles.

"If someone wants to have the privilege of working with a frail, older person, we need to make sure that they're doing everything they can to protect the people that they're caring for," said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

His one piece of advice: bring in a vaccine mandate for all staff and ensure everyone gets a third dose as quickly as possible.

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research, said there’s no reason why the province couldn’t launch a third-dose vaccination push for long-term-care staff similar to that for residents in late August.

“When you already have an understaffed system, and then there’s a risk that staff are more likely to get infected and potentially get sick and be off, that puts everybody more at risk,” he said, noting he believes it’s “inevitable” a number of homes will see Omicron outbreaks.

“Older people have lots going on at the same time,” Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said.

He suggests retirees, with the support of family members or friends as needed, prepare for their doctor appointment well in advance to prevent potential health issues from being missed.

"We're worried that unless we give staff that extra layer of protection [booster shots], will we see a huge growth of outbreaks in these [long-term care] homes again, where sometimes this population doesn't respond as well to the vaccine as other populations," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Ontario’s Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore announced the third doses of COVID-19 vaccines will soon be available to anyone 50 years of age and over. "We know a lot of other countries around the world are saying we don't consider you vaccinated unless you've had three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Booster shots really will make a difference for a lot of people," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

“Many Canadians were unable to gather in person over the holidays last year,” says NIA Executive Director, Michael Nicin. "Many of us are looking forward to spending time with our loved ones in the weeks ahead. COVIDVisitRisk.com, which uses the best available scientific evidence to assign an individual risk level to a gathering, can support Canadians to meet with care and to take the necessary precautions to help keep those they love healthy.”

Get a better quality of sleep

Dr. Sinha, the NIA Director of Health Policy Research says the first thing he tells people who ask how to get a better sleep is that they're going to get frustrated if they expect to sleep as soundly in their 60s and 70s as they did in their 20s and 30s, because our sleep patterns change naturally with age.

Rebooting long-term care

“We currently spend between $22 billion and $24 billion… across Canada providing long-term care,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. “Each of the provinces and territories have been left to their own devices to figure out how they may want to provide long-term care services. Funding levels vary significantly, coverage levels vary, the way it’s organized varies, the terminology significantly varies. While you can say hospitals in one province are like hospitals in another, long-term care looks very different, not only across provinces and territories in Canada, but even within provinces and territories.”

On Thursday, Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, told Markusa that Manitoba won't get ahead of the outbreaks in long-term care facilities without mandatory vaccinations for workers.

Canada has officially reached a vaccination milestone. Our tracker outlines every dose delivered on what's been a long journey

“Being able to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 within a year is frankly a miracle of science, and it’s a gift that we shouldn’t squander,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA. “The sooner we all get vaccinated, and we reach a vaccinated level of herd immunity we’ll have our freedom again as Canadians.”

"In Manitoba right now we have about six homes that are in outbreak, and in Ontario we have a total of eight, and that's 13 million people. Ontario put a staff vaccine mandate in place. And by doing that, we raised our staff vaccination rates from 90% to about 98% and we haven't had a single death in our long-term care homes since October 20th," says Dr. Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Care home visitor policies: a global scan of the latest strategies in countries with high vaccination rates

This scan has been carried out by members of LTCcovid network (including NIA's Dr. Samir Sinha, Natalie Iciaszczyk, and Cameron Feil), a global platform that shares learning on COVID policy and practice responses in long-term care systems. It includes detailed case studies from six countries: Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Norway and the Netherlands.

"I think part of the issue may be a communication issue," says Dr. Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. "We've been using the term 'that you need two doses to be fully vaccinated' and I think people may not be aware of the significant added benefit of actually why that third dose is so important and how it can really help people get the protection they need for all of us to try to get through this winter more safely."

Applying for your pension early can be very expensive

“Deferral of QPP and CPP payments is the most underused and poorly understood disbursement solution in the country,” says Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security Research at the University's National Institute on Ageing.

Reducing mortality risk

“The No. 1 issue [that affects mortality risk] is the presence of chronic illnesses,” Sinha said. “But, if you do survive those and manage to live healthy and not develop things [such as] diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and you luckily don’t get accosted by cancer along the way, then there are other illnesses that are likely to catch up with you over time, such as dementia,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

The best dividend stocks for a retirement portfolio

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos for Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing and HomeEquity Bank revealed that many Canadians are nervous about their retirement prospects. That survey saw 75% of respondents nearing or in early retirement say that the COVID-19 pandemic had them more concerned about their family’s financial security and well-being. A previous survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that nearly a quarter of respondents were delaying retirement due to the pandemic. Today, I want to look at the best dividend stocks to hold in a retirement portfolio right now.

Unvaxxed loved ones? How to handle tense family gatherings over the holidays

The holiday season is just a month away, and unlike last year when gatherings meant video calls and quiet celebrations with household members, this year promises to be a little less muted. The National Institute on Ageing has a COVID-19 Visit Risk calculator online that can help people assess how safe a visit or gathering will be.

With fewer outbreaks, some Saskatoon care homes loosening visitor restrictions

According to the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University in Toronto, which has been tracking the virus in care homes across the country, there have been 694 cases and 123 deaths in about 164 long-term care homes in the province since the beginning of the pandemic.

Worried about running out of money in retirement? A new type of pension plan may soon solve that problem

Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research, hopes government will move quickly on the necessary regulatory changes and that Canada’s first stand-alone DP pools will be introduced in a year or so.

“It’s a way to democratize pensions,” she said. “To make a lifetime income available to any Canadian who wants to have one.”

Amid soaring prices, retired Canadians are staying in their homes: ‘This is a wake-up call for all of us’

Ninety-six per cent of Ontario seniors over age 55 currently plan to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The reasons are clear. Many have watched with panic as long-term care residents bore the brunt of the pandemic, with thousands dying and many forced to isolate for months. “The pandemic has created an opportunity to rethink a number of different approaches to aging,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing. “They’re thinking: ‘I don’t want to be one of those statistics on the news.’”

Care as we age: Transforming long-term care

In this episode, Dr. Samir Sinha talks about long-term care and how we can better support individuals as they age. Cracks in the long-term care system in Canada were visible long before the pandemic. COVID just further amplified the failures in a system meant to support and care for the most vulnerable. The question is: Will this finally be the impetus need for real change to happen? And if so, what will it look like and how do we get there?

Peter Chow: No Monoclonal Antibodies in Sault Ontario – But We Have Fluvoxamine

“When we’re hearing about some individuals who are dying who happen to have been fully vaccinated, it starts creating doubt in the minds of others about whether the vaccine is even worth it at all,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA.

Applying for your pension early can be very expensive

“Deferral of QPP and CPP payments is the most underused and poorly understood disbursement solution in the country,” says Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security Research at the University's National Institute on Ageing.

Reducing mortality risk

“The No. 1 issue [that affects mortality risk] is the presence of chronic illnesses,” Sinha said. “But, if you do survive those and manage to live healthy and not develop things [such as] diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and you luckily don’t get accosted by cancer along the way, then there are other illnesses that are likely to catch up with you over time, such as dementia,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

The best dividend stocks for a retirement portfolio

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos for Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing and HomeEquity Bank revealed that many Canadians are nervous about their retirement prospects. That survey saw 75% of respondents nearing or in early retirement say that the COVID-19 pandemic had them more concerned about their family’s financial security and well-being. A previous survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that nearly a quarter of respondents were delaying retirement due to the pandemic. Today, I want to look at the best dividend stocks to hold in a retirement portfolio right now.

Unvaxxed loved ones? How to handle tense family gatherings over the holidays

The holiday season is just a month away, and unlike last year when gatherings meant video calls and quiet celebrations with household members, this year promises to be a little less muted. The National Institute on Ageing has a COVID-19 Visit Risk calculator online that can help people assess how safe a visit or gathering will be.

With fewer outbreaks, some Saskatoon care homes loosening visitor restrictions

According to the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University in Toronto, which has been tracking the virus in care homes across the country, there have been 694 cases and 123 deaths in about 164 long-term care homes in the province since the beginning of the pandemic.

Worried about running out of money in retirement? A new type of pension plan may soon solve that problem

Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research, hopes government will move quickly on the necessary regulatory changes and that Canada’s first stand-alone DP pools will be introduced in a year or so.

“It’s a way to democratize pensions,” she said. “To make a lifetime income available to any Canadian who wants to have one.”

Amid soaring prices, retired Canadians are staying in their homes: ‘This is a wake-up call for all of us’

Ninety-six per cent of Ontario seniors over age 55 currently plan to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The reasons are clear. Many have watched with panic as long-term care residents bore the brunt of the pandemic, with thousands dying and many forced to isolate for months. “The pandemic has created an opportunity to rethink a number of different approaches to aging,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing. “They’re thinking: ‘I don’t want to be one of those statistics on the news.’”

Care as we age: Transforming long-term care

In this episode, Dr. Samir Sinha talks about long-term care and how we can better support individuals as they age. Cracks in the long-term care system in Canada were visible long before the pandemic. COVID just further amplified the failures in a system meant to support and care for the most vulnerable. The question is: Will this finally be the impetus need for real change to happen? And if so, what will it look like and how do we get there?

Peter Chow: No Monoclonal Antibodies in Sault Ontario – But We Have Fluvoxamine

“When we’re hearing about some individuals who are dying who happen to have been fully vaccinated, it starts creating doubt in the minds of others about whether the vaccine is even worth it at all,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA.

Ageism is discrimination too: 3 important takeaways from Generous Futures — Addressing Ageism

The season 2 premiere Addressing Ageism highlights how charitable giving is carving new pathways for seniors. The panel, moderated by Michael Nicin, Executive Director, National Institute on Ageing features experts in the field, Dr. Samir Sinha, Mitch Frazer, Chameli Naraine, and Delores Lawrence.

Provinces’ top doctors reject COVID booster shots for all, for now

Dr.Samir Sinha, the Director of Health Policy Research at NIA, told QP Briefing that the science shows a booster shot is a "likely necessity," particularly among more vulnerable groups. The question to Sinha is more about when to deploy the booster shot, and which populations to prioritize. "How do we equitably distribute booster shots?" he asked, identifying what he saw as a critical question on the issue. He identified the British Columbia case study as a good one, in which seniors, front-line health-care workers and Indigenous people are prioritized for booster shots. These groups were also among the first to have access to the initial vaccine, making the timing gap suitable for them to have their booster shots soon.

Ageing and thriving in the 21st century

An Ontario study by the National Institute on Ageing found that, at minimum, 8% of newly admitted long-term care residents could have avoided admission with the right home-based supports. As well, too may seniors then get bounced around from facility to facility, especially if they ‘break the rules’, or are in and out of hospital, factors which accelerate decline.

Applying for your pension early can be very expensive

“Deferral of QPP and CPP payments is the most underused and poorly understood disbursement solution in the country,” says Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security Research at the University's National Institute on Ageing.

Reducing mortality risk

“The No. 1 issue [that affects mortality risk] is the presence of chronic illnesses,” Sinha said. “But, if you do survive those and manage to live healthy and not develop things [such as] diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and you luckily don’t get accosted by cancer along the way, then there are other illnesses that are likely to catch up with you over time, such as dementia,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

The best dividend stocks for a retirement portfolio

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos for Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing and HomeEquity Bank revealed that many Canadians are nervous about their retirement prospects. That survey saw 75% of respondents nearing or in early retirement say that the COVID-19 pandemic had them more concerned about their family’s financial security and well-being. A previous survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that nearly a quarter of respondents were delaying retirement due to the pandemic. Today, I want to look at the best dividend stocks to hold in a retirement portfolio right now.

Unvaxxed loved ones? How to handle tense family gatherings over the holidays

The holiday season is just a month away, and unlike last year when gatherings meant video calls and quiet celebrations with household members, this year promises to be a little less muted. The National Institute on Ageing has a COVID-19 Visit Risk calculator online that can help people assess how safe a visit or gathering will be.

With fewer outbreaks, some Saskatoon care homes loosening visitor restrictions

According to the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University in Toronto, which has been tracking the virus in care homes across the country, there have been 694 cases and 123 deaths in about 164 long-term care homes in the province since the beginning of the pandemic.

Worried about running out of money in retirement? A new type of pension plan may soon solve that problem

Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research, hopes government will move quickly on the necessary regulatory changes and that Canada’s first stand-alone DP pools will be introduced in a year or so.

“It’s a way to democratize pensions,” she said. “To make a lifetime income available to any Canadian who wants to have one.”

Amid soaring prices, retired Canadians are staying in their homes: ‘This is a wake-up call for all of us’

Ninety-six per cent of Ontario seniors over age 55 currently plan to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The reasons are clear. Many have watched with panic as long-term care residents bore the brunt of the pandemic, with thousands dying and many forced to isolate for months. “The pandemic has created an opportunity to rethink a number of different approaches to aging,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing. “They’re thinking: ‘I don’t want to be one of those statistics on the news.’”

Care as we age: Transforming long-term care

In this episode, Dr. Samir Sinha talks about long-term care and how we can better support individuals as they age. Cracks in the long-term care system in Canada were visible long before the pandemic. COVID just further amplified the failures in a system meant to support and care for the most vulnerable. The question is: Will this finally be the impetus need for real change to happen? And if so, what will it look like and how do we get there?

Peter Chow: No Monoclonal Antibodies in Sault Ontario – But We Have Fluvoxamine

“When we’re hearing about some individuals who are dying who happen to have been fully vaccinated, it starts creating doubt in the minds of others about whether the vaccine is even worth it at all,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA.

Ageism is discrimination too: 3 important takeaways from Generous Futures — Addressing Ageism

The season 2 premiere Addressing Ageism highlights how charitable giving is carving new pathways for seniors. The panel, moderated by Michael Nicin, Executive Director, National Institute on Ageing features experts in the field, Dr. Samir Sinha, Mitch Frazer, Chameli Naraine, and Delores Lawrence.

Provinces’ top doctors reject COVID booster shots for all, for now

Dr.Samir Sinha, the Director of Health Policy Research at NIA, told QP Briefing that the science shows a booster shot is a "likely necessity," particularly among more vulnerable groups. The question to Sinha is more about when to deploy the booster shot, and which populations to prioritize. "How do we equitably distribute booster shots?" he asked, identifying what he saw as a critical question on the issue. He identified the British Columbia case study as a good one, in which seniors, front-line health-care workers and Indigenous people are prioritized for booster shots. These groups were also among the first to have access to the initial vaccine, making the timing gap suitable for them to have their booster shots soon.

Ageing and thriving in the 21st century

An Ontario study by the National Institute on Ageing found that, at minimum, 8% of newly admitted long-term care residents could have avoided admission with the right home-based supports. As well, too may seniors then get bounced around from facility to facility, especially if they ‘break the rules’, or are in and out of hospital, factors which accelerate decline.

Applying for your pension early can be very expensive

“Deferral of QPP and CPP payments is the most underused and poorly understood disbursement solution in the country,” says Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security Research at the University's National Institute on Ageing.

Reducing mortality risk

“The No. 1 issue [that affects mortality risk] is the presence of chronic illnesses,” Sinha said. “But, if you do survive those and manage to live healthy and not develop things [such as] diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and you luckily don’t get accosted by cancer along the way, then there are other illnesses that are likely to catch up with you over time, such as dementia,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

The best dividend stocks for a retirement portfolio

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos for Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing and HomeEquity Bank revealed that many Canadians are nervous about their retirement prospects. That survey saw 75% of respondents nearing or in early retirement say that the COVID-19 pandemic had them more concerned about their family’s financial security and well-being. A previous survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that nearly a quarter of respondents were delaying retirement due to the pandemic. Today, I want to look at the best dividend stocks to hold in a retirement portfolio right now.

Unvaxxed loved ones? How to handle tense family gatherings over the holidays

The holiday season is just a month away, and unlike last year when gatherings meant video calls and quiet celebrations with household members, this year promises to be a little less muted. The National Institute on Ageing has a COVID-19 Visit Risk calculator online that can help people assess how safe a visit or gathering will be.

With fewer outbreaks, some Saskatoon care homes loosening visitor restrictions

According to the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University in Toronto, which has been tracking the virus in care homes across the country, there have been 694 cases and 123 deaths in about 164 long-term care homes in the province since the beginning of the pandemic.

Worried about running out of money in retirement? A new type of pension plan may soon solve that problem

Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research, hopes government will move quickly on the necessary regulatory changes and that Canada’s first stand-alone DP pools will be introduced in a year or so.

“It’s a way to democratize pensions,” she said. “To make a lifetime income available to any Canadian who wants to have one.”

Amid soaring prices, retired Canadians are staying in their homes: ‘This is a wake-up call for all of us’

Ninety-six per cent of Ontario seniors over age 55 currently plan to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The reasons are clear. Many have watched with panic as long-term care residents bore the brunt of the pandemic, with thousands dying and many forced to isolate for months. “The pandemic has created an opportunity to rethink a number of different approaches to aging,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing. “They’re thinking: ‘I don’t want to be one of those statistics on the news.’”

Care as we age: Transforming long-term care

In this episode, Dr. Samir Sinha talks about long-term care and how we can better support individuals as they age. Cracks in the long-term care system in Canada were visible long before the pandemic. COVID just further amplified the failures in a system meant to support and care for the most vulnerable. The question is: Will this finally be the impetus need for real change to happen? And if so, what will it look like and how do we get there?

Peter Chow: No Monoclonal Antibodies in Sault Ontario – But We Have Fluvoxamine

“When we’re hearing about some individuals who are dying who happen to have been fully vaccinated, it starts creating doubt in the minds of others about whether the vaccine is even worth it at all,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA.

Ageism is discrimination too: 3 important takeaways from Generous Futures — Addressing Ageism

The season 2 premiere Addressing Ageism highlights how charitable giving is carving new pathways for seniors. The panel, moderated by Michael Nicin, Executive Director, National Institute on Ageing features experts in the field, Dr. Samir Sinha, Mitch Frazer, Chameli Naraine, and Delores Lawrence.

Provinces’ top doctors reject COVID booster shots for all, for now

Dr.Samir Sinha, the Director of Health Policy Research at NIA, told QP Briefing that the science shows a booster shot is a "likely necessity," particularly among more vulnerable groups. The question to Sinha is more about when to deploy the booster shot, and which populations to prioritize. "How do we equitably distribute booster shots?" he asked, identifying what he saw as a critical question on the issue. He identified the British Columbia case study as a good one, in which seniors, front-line health-care workers and Indigenous people are prioritized for booster shots. These groups were also among the first to have access to the initial vaccine, making the timing gap suitable for them to have their booster shots soon.

Ageing and thriving in the 21st century

An Ontario study by the National Institute on Ageing found that, at minimum, 8% of newly admitted long-term care residents could have avoided admission with the right home-based supports. As well, too may seniors then get bounced around from facility to facility, especially if they ‘break the rules’, or are in and out of hospital, factors which accelerate decline.

Dynamic Pension pools urgently needed to support Canadians' retirement income security

A new report published by the NIA and the Global Risk Institute (GRI), Affordable Lifetime Pension Income for a Better Tomorrow: How We Can Address the $1.5-trillion Decumulation Disconnect in the Canadian Retirement Income System with Dynamic Pension Pools, explains why Dynamic Pension (DP) pools are urgently needed
to make retirement income security possible for millions of Canadian seniors.

With 10 million baby boomers now entering retirement—with longer life expectancies and a greater dependency on private savings to sustain them—it’s more important than ever to find solutions that will help retiring Canadians turn their accumulated savings into low-cost lifetime pension income.

Dynamic pension pools a viable decumulation option for Canadians: report

“Retiring Canadians are more worried than ever that their savings won’t sustain them in retirement — and these fears are legitimate,” said Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security research at the National Institute on Ageing and the report’s lead author. “Financial markets, inflation and health expenses are just some of the big unknowns that retirees will need to face over 10, 20, 30 or even 40 years.”

DP pools should be available to more retiring Canadians, report says

Millions of baby boomers entering retirement and facing a “$1.5-trillion decumulation disconnect” need better options for reliable income as they age, a new report says.

The report from Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing and the Global Risk Institute, released Tuesday, said the decline in traditional workplace defined benefit pension plans has left today’s retirees depending much more on personal savings and sub-par retirement saving vehicles.

Can Dynamic Pension Pools strengthen Canadians’ Retirement Income Security?

While DP pools are recognized as a powerful decumulation solution in many other ageing countries around the world they aren’t yet broadly available in Canada.

“Turning lifetime savings into lifetime income is more than just a challenge: it’s an impossible task that threatens the financial and emotional security of a growing portion of the Canadian population,” says Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research. “DP pools are a proven and viable solution with the potential to improve retirement financial security for millions of retiring Canadians.”

Achieving scale in pensions through portfolio aggregation

We find that there is a correlation between portfolio size and investment performance. We argue that benefits likely begin to accrue above a certain minimum size. Moreover, Keith Ambachtsheer, Senior Fellow, NIA, and his coauthors find that larger pension plans capture more of their total returns by way of lower total expense ratios than those of smaller plans.

In the race to a net-zero and inclusive future, Canadian pension funds have a critical role to play - and a new report shows how

“As stewards of our retirement savings, pension funds have important roles to play in securing the future living standards of Canadians in a just and livable world.” said Keith Ambachtsheer, Senior Fellow, National Institute on Ageing. “To that end, we should all welcome the Canadian Pensions Dashboard for Responsible Investing, which will provide important ongoing information on how effectively Canada’s pension funds are fulfilling their mission.”

CETFA urges more advisors to help clients prepare for vulnerable aging

CETFA has increasingly raised the financial implications of vulnerable aging this year. This past summer, it held a webinar with Michael Nicin, the Executive Director of Ryerson’s National Institute of Ageing, to flag some of the costs and concerns of financially planning for vulnerable aging.

Seniors brace for guaranteed income supplement cuts

"For seniors in Canada who are low income and not receiving any other forms of income, the government gives them about $950 a month (the Guaranteed Income Supplement - GIS). But for every dollar someone earns, that amount is reduced by 50 cents. In the pandemic, 90,000 seniors were working enough to quality for CERB so they would receive $2,000 a month," says Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research. Dr. MacDonald further explains that due to this, these low income seniors are not able to collect their GIS.

Improving the globe's retirement income systems: How are we doing... and how can we do better?

The 13th edition of the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index (MCGPI) has just been released. Titled “Pension Reform in Challenging Times”, the report notes that while there are a few well-designed and managed national retirement income systems (RIS) in the world, many could and should do better, including in Canada. Read NIA Senior Fellow Keith Ambachtsheer's full article.

Tests show virus cases in health-care workers

Dr. Samir Sinha, the NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said while the number of infections found so far is low, it does reinforce the need for health-care workers to be immunized.

"Right now, they’re doing rapid antigen testing as a line of defence, but really it’s a pragmatic second best approach to the best possible thing we can do to support vulnerable people — given that hundreds have died in Manitoba alone — which is making sure everyone is vaccinated," Sinha said.

Six positive cases of COVID-19 identified in unvaccinated health-care employees

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said unvaccinated staff providing a negative rapid test 48 hours before a shift is not an equal substitute to being fully vaccinated.

Home care in crisis as droves of workers leave for hospitals and nursing homes

"We’ve grossly underfunded the provision of home and community care for decades," says NIA Director of Health Policy Research, Dr. Samir Sinha. "For example, a nurse or PSW working in our publicly funded long-term care system gets paid far less than an equivalent than a person working in a publicly funded hospital."

The Doug Ford government is saying the right things about long-term care. But fixing it will take more than words

As of Friday, 15,589 out of 29,682 COVID-19 deaths in Canada – 54 per cent – had involved LTC residents, according to the National Institute on Ageing in Toronto. So a fundamental principle that states seniors should be as safe and comfortable in a nursing home as they are in their own home, and which applies to the basic interpretation of the law, seems like a positive step.

Ontario’s proposed long-term care fines ‘toothless,’ critics say

“If nothing that we’ve seen so far in countless cases of elder abuse have been reasons to lay any fines, I don’t know what will,” Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said in an interview. “So why bother doubling something that you’re probably not even willing to use?”

'A crisis for home care': droves of workers leave for hospitals, nursing homes

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, said the home care situation is dire. Wage parity can solve some of the problems, he said.

"A nurse working in an acute care hospital makes far more than a nurse working in a long-term care home who makes far more than a nurse working in home care," Sinha said.

Long-term care: the limits of reform in Ontario

The government is going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to train and hire staff for long-term care facilities, but retention is an issue. Dr. Samir Sinha noted that the training that attendants receive varies greatly from location to location and does not always include the emergency or skills required to care for someone with dementia.

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing, said in an interview that the initial response to COVID-19 didn’t follow the precautionary principle of applying maximum precautions then easing off as the disease became better understood.

Instead, fearing they would run out of personal protective equipment, officials did the reverse, rationing masks and starting with limited precautions, then adjusting upward – at a cost of human lives.

NACI expands recommendations for booster shots

“I’m thrilled with NACI’s recommendation today. It really has been following the science throughout the pandemic, and what it’s shows is that in Canada, in our specific circumstance, this is the right time to start giving booster shots to older adults and other high risk populations,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Ontario is promising that nursing-home residents will be able to ‘enjoy life.’ Whether it can deliver is another matter

Will the long-term care system be dominated by new inspectors, some of whom, apparently, will come from the ranks of retired police officers? Or, will it work to help homes improve? Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, believes the “right things are being said” in terms of quality of life and care. But, Sinha asks, how can those goals be achieved without fixing “fundamental issues like staffing?

Market Resiliency, Capital Formation, and Investing for Our Future

The sustainability of traditional public sector defined benefit (DB) plans has become front-page news and the subject of acrimonious debates usually framed in stark terms of DB versus DC (defined contribution). This either/or framing is unhelpful, Keith Ambachtsheer, Senior Fellow at NIA, writes.

It simply perpetuates the strongly held views of the defenders and critics of these two opposing pension models. Moving the pension reform yardsticks in the right direction requires that we stop this dysfunctional either/or framing and embrace a more constructive conversation about what we want our pension arrangements to achieve and what that tells us about how to design them.

More beds doesn't equal better long-term care

NIA Director of Health Policy Research, Dr. Samir Sinha said, “We need long-term care where residents are living in homes that feel like homes, where staff are valued and supported and we are thinking of the value of residents’ lives and not just meeting their basic care needs.”

Ontario's new bill is meant to better protect long-term care residents

"My reactions to the new bill are mixed. It's nice to see the government is trying to move forward in dealing with the long-standing issues of long-term care, but we haven't actually fixed the fundamental problems that really got us here in the first place," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Ontario is unveiling new long-term care legislation. Here's what advocates have to say

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, says the biggest problems in long-term care aren't with the legislation.

"I think certainly there might be some things that can be improved upon, but really, the story has been that this is a government that has actually failed to use a lot of the powers that it's had," Sinha said in an interview. "The current Long-Term Care Act actually does have all these tools and has always had these tools available."

Military dismisses reports that Ontario nursing home residents died of dehydration

In the absence of death investigations and autopsies elsewhere in Canada, home operators are not going to admit that people under their stewardship died of dehydration, said Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research, NIA.

“This is where these technicalities sadly allow everybody to save face and these issues continue to fester,” Dr. Sinha said in an interview. “We know that a number of basic needs were not being well met. That’s the real tragedy of all of this.”

Baby boomers are increasingly worried about their finances heading into retirement

“Canadians retiring today are likely going to face longer and more expensive retirements than their parents,” Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, NIA Director of Financial Security Research, said in a news release.

Meanwhile, the pandemic helped shed light on where Canadians want to live as they age. After seeing daily headlines about COVID-19’s impact on long-term care homes, 70 per cent of people aged 65 or older now say they’ve changed their minds about wanting to live in a retirement or nursing home.

Baby boomers are increasingly worried about their finances heading into retirement

75% of home care for older Canadians is provided by family. NIA Director of Financial Security Research, Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, discusses how the lack of home care services and lower fertility rate among baby boomers creates a real problem in care for older Canadians.

Visitor policies in long-term care

"With the advent of vaccines, it's a bit silly that we're mandating staff to get vaccination in long-term care settings but not actually requiring visitors or family caregivers to do the same. When that could be another way to continue to prevent the ongoing outbreaks we're seeing in our long-term care homes across Ontario, where over 4000 people have died," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

To prevent another pandemic catastrophe, long-term care needs a long-term fix

During the first wave in March and April of 2020, 80% of COVID-19 deaths in Canada involved people in nursing homes and seniors’ residences. In the second wave, the percentage barely dropped, to 77%, according to the National Institute on Ageing.

Advisory committee recommends COVID-19 vaccine boosters for long-term care residents

Kelly Cutrara talks to Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research about COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for residents of long-term care homes.

"Some recent studies based in Ontario and Canada have been showing that older people, particularly those living in long-term care settings tend to see a waned immunity much more than, say, the staff members caring for them," says Dr. Sinha.

COVID-19 vaccine boosters recommended for long-term care residents, national advisory committee says

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, applauded the move to provide booster shots to long-term care residents.

Although he would have liked to see the recommendation come out sooner, NACI was right to make it specific to people living in long-term care or other congregate-living environments, Sinha said, noting it should not yet be extrapolated to apply to all seniors.

Snowbirds eye return to Florida even as sunshine state battles COVID-19

Dr. Samir Sinha says any snowbirds considering a trip to Florida should consider the added risks they're facing as older adults. "With more COVID spreading and [a] more highly unvaccinated population there, there's a greater risk that they might contract COVID," said Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Long-term care outbreaks are rising, and provinces have different strategies for keeping COVID-19 out

“It reminds us how vulnerable this population remains, because while we'll say, 'wow, you know, almost a hundred per cent of long-term care residents across Canada are vaccinated,’ we're having outbreaks in these homes,” Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview. “These residents are still getting sick, they’re still dying.”

Federal government needs to put more cash into long-term care to legislate safety, say experts

The Liberals promised to legislate guaranteed quality care under what they’ve dubbed the Safe Long-Term Care Act, and pledged $9 billion to the cause over five years – but Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said the money would not go far enough.

This elderly man is finally home from hospital after his family says he caught COVID-19 from a support worker

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research, says that it is difficult to diagnose long COVID in older people because they are more likely to already be living with multiple chronic conditions. "Sometimes it's a bit hard to understand whether it's purely a long COVID symptom, or it may be a reflection of other illnesses or diseases, for example, that have now progressed because of the disease."

The NIA updates their COVID-19 Visit Risk tool

"Every three months we update the tool based on feedback we get from users who send us comments. We're now re-launching our third version which basically takes into account larger gatherings, younger age groups, and allows users to answer 'unsure' on some questions where they may be unsure on certain details of the gathering," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

The Forefront, Ryerson University - The New Age of Aging

More than one in six Canadians are now at least 65 years old. Many Canadian families are already juggling the responsibilities of caring for their parents and their own children. The wait lists for long term care are outliving the patients on them. What can be done?

In this episode, we’ll speak with Dr. Michael Nicin, Executive Director, Ryerson’s National Institute on Ageing, and Karen Cumming, Journalist, Author of The Indispensable Survival Guide to Ontario's Long-Term Care System, about the realities facing our ageing population.

The campaign that was, and the campaign that could have been

"This is where I'm disappointed, frankly, when I see all of the party platforms," said Dr. Samir Sinha, the NIA Director of Health Policy Research, who spoke with Manly before the Green MP tabled his proposal. "I feel like everyone's kind of nipping at certain things in a retail way, as opposed to fundamentally dealing with the root of the issues. Because I don't think anything promised is going to prevent another devastating pandemic [from ripping] through Canada's long-term care homes."

“Being able to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 within a year is frankly a miracle of science, and it’s a gift that we shouldn’t squander,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. “The sooner we all get vaccinated, and we reach a vaccinated level of herd immunity we’ll have our freedom again as Canadians.”

“If we need to create PSWs and do so quickly, then an accelerated program makes sense. But the more fundamental reasons we have a national shortage are that this work is largely unregulated and not well-paid,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Both the National Institute on Ageing and the Ontario Community Support Association recommend supporting people in their own homes rather than creating temporary solutions until older adults locate a space in a care home.

More Canadians are rethinking where they want to live in their old age after seeing the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on seniors’ living facilities across the country.

A survey released last autumn by the National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University shows that almost seven in 10 respondents aged 65 and over prefer to age in their home – and have health care professionals come to them – in light of the pandemic’s impact on seniors’ living facilities.

The COVID-19 Visit Risk Calculator is an online tool that helps you answer the important question: Is this gathering I have planned to attend actually safe?

According to a recent press release, more than 120,000 Canadians have used the three-minute risk calculator to assess their gatherings so far.

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said they listen to the feedback they receive, and wanted to tailor this fall update to the concerns that people have currently, regarding back to school, larger gatherings and the rise of the Delta variant.

“A massacre” is what took place in LTC facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. “This is a pan-Canadian issue, so I’m glad the federal government started taking an interest in providing leadership in this space, even though this is not traditionally an area of federal jurisdiction.”

According to a recent study by the National Institute on Ageing and TELUS Health, almost 100 per cent of Canadians 65 years of age and older report that they plan on supporting themselves to live safely and independently in their own home for as long as possible.

“I think the biggest challenge with the provision of long-term care in Canada is that compared to other countries from around the world, we grossly underfund the system that we actually have,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. This means that not only are there not enough beds, but the facilities are underfunded too — resulting in worse care for residents, he added.

"When we created Medicare in 1966 across Canada, the average Canadian was 27 years of age, and all we thought we would need is to treat a young society, unlike other countries around the world, where they realized they would age, and that medication coverage and long-term care are needed."

"So now we have this lopsided universal care system that is a partnership between the federal and provincial government that just excludes something that more and more of us are going to need over time," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

"If you look at a recent survey commissioned by the National Institute on Ageing, 96% of Canadians over 65 would do everything they can to avoid moving into a nursing home. Homecare is the forgotten stepson/stepdaughter of Canadian healthcare. We need to keep seniors at home by providing homecare resources, which is not only what seniors want in this country, it's also extremely cost effective when you compare it to long-term care expenditures," says Dr. Bob Bell, NIA Senior Fellow and former Deputy Minister of Health and Long-term Care in Ontario.

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Policy Research, agreed that developing national standards for long-term care is a step in the right direction, and that this enforcement needs to be properly funded.

They also both highlighted that what’s missing from parties’ proposals is the funding necessary to properly fix systemic issues in long-term care, like the shortage of beds, workers, workers’ pay and proper home care.

"When we've looked at our vaccine rollouts, we know that some jurisdictions were much more efficient to get their most vulnerable populations, those particularly living in our long-term care homes. Some jurisdictions took a lot longer than others, including Ontario. Every day you delay an opportunity for someone to get vaccinated, you're delaying that person's ability to protect themselves," says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Q: My son and daughter-in-law are not vaccinated. My husband and I are in our 70s. We are both fully vaccinated. Is it safe for them to visit and come for dinner?

It depends, said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. “We know that these unvaccinated folks, they might be asymptomatic, but they may still be able to easily transmit the virus to their loved ones,” he said.

He recommends looking at an online tool developed by the National Institute on Ageing that will walk you through the risks of a given social situation.

“Accidents can happen to anyone, even to healthy and flexible people in their fifties, so it’s important to be prepared and think ahead in the event of a fall or other accident,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing. “Yet more than 30 per cent of older Canadians report not being prepared to manage medical emergencies when alone.”

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, said the issue of a third COVID-19 vaccine dose treaded on “complicated territory,” as many countries were still trying to access limited supplies to vaccinate their population with a first and second dose.

The ability to swallow is something most of us take for granted; however, in older adults, it can become a serious and life-threatening problem if it's impaired and nor properly addressed. Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia, can affect up to 30% of older adults. Further, it’s now considered a geriatric syndrome by many experts due to its growing prevalence and health impact in older adults.

In Ontario, for example, all long-term care homes are paid the same by the province, regardless of ownership, said Dr. Robert Bell Ontario’s deputy minister of health and long-term care from 2014 to 2018, and NIA Senior Fellow.

“The amount the taxpayer pays for the long-term-care home, it’s the same whether it’s for-profit or not for-profit,” he explained.

“Iceland is one of the worst-performing countries in the world in how it allocates funding for the care of the elderly. 92 percent of the funding is put into warehousing older people in nursing homes—at nursing homes that now say they don’t have enough money to provide that care,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research, NIA.

Hundreds of homes across Canada did not fare that well, as ineffective infection control measures, low standards of care, and in many cases, low wages for staff, had devastating consequences. More than 55,000 residents and more than 29,000 long-term care workers have been infected with COVID-19.

The Ryerson University National Institute on Aging has tracked 15,217 COVID-19 deaths among long-term care residents since March 2020, 57 per cent of all deaths from the pandemic in Canada to date.

On August 20, Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research was invited by Iceland's Minister of Health to deliver a Keynote Address at Iceland's Annual Health Congress on developing a new vision for health care for the elderly. Dr. Sinha presented on 'Enabling Improved Patient, Provider and System Outcomes through an Advanced Care for Elders (ACE) Strategy, followed by a fireside chat conversation with some of Iceland's leading health professionals.

During the worst days of the pandemic, many seniors homes across the country were incapable of protecting their residents from a devastating wave of COVID-19. The disease ripped through the homes, causing more than 15,000 deaths according to Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing, with the majority in Ontario and Quebec.

Canada's Taking It Slow On Reopening Its Border To Travelers From The U.S. Here's Why

By: Emma Jacobs

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated last week that vaccinated travelers will be admitted before those who are not vaccinated, but the government has said a full reopening could require 75% of Canadians — or more than 85% of the eligible population — to be fully vaccinated.

"The goal that has been set is extremely high," says Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow and Geriatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. "We hope we get there, but we may never actually get there."

Advocates pen letter to Mayor Tory, urging him to find 'a better way' to deal with unhoused people

By: Muriel Draaisma

Homeless advocates are calling on Mayor John Tory to end the use of force against encampments in city parks and to adopt a more compassionate approach when dealing with unhoused people in Toronto.

Those who have signed the letter include more than 60 organizations. Physicians, including Dr. Andrew Boozary, Dr. Adriana Di Stefano, Dr. Naheed Dosani and Dr. Nathan Stall (NIA Associate Fellow), have also signed the letter.

National Institute on Ageing Launches Free Online Calculator to Assess People’s COVID-19 Risk When Gathering with Others

As Canada takes steps to safely reopen, a new online tool developed by Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing (NIA) at the Ted Rogers School of Management can help individuals and families to quickly assess their risk of getting COVID-19 when meeting or gathering with others.

Family demands changes to nursing home regulations after senior served 'eviction notice'

By: Harry Forestell

Pauline Breen, 83, was given 15 days to find new accommodation after her family questioned treatment.

"I've never heard that in all my years of practice in Ontario or anywhere else in Canada," said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. "The fear that if you are the squeaky wheel, for example, that you are going to suffer the consequences by getting worse care or be asked to leave.​​​​​​" says Sinha.

Hurdles to pulling seniors out of long-term care during pandemic

Many Canadians have pulled their loved ones out of long-term care homes due to the pandemic’s devastating impact on those facilities. But what if those seniors need to return to nursing homes? As Mike Drolet explains, there can be complications.

Our senior citizens deserve better care

By: Mary Teresa Bitti

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Policy Research and leader in geriatric care, recommends better staffing, upgraded facilities and a comprehensive inspections and compliance process to improve long-term care in Canada.

"We could still go a bit further": Ontario long-term care homes see loosened restrictions starting today

"Not a lot of people understood how poorly funded and supported our LTC system was, and I think a lot of Canadians have now had to face that. Now that people are well aware, it's hard for people to look away" said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research on The Morning Show with Greg Brady.

Choosing care at home instead of a care home: B.C. senior opts to move in with family

"A lot of people have lost faith in our LTC system and its ability to keep people safe, especially during a pandemic. I have heard stories from many families who pulled their loved ones out of care," NIA Director of Health Policy Research, Dr. Samir Sinha.

Three LTC residents on Ontario have died in recent weeks connected to COVID-19

"We know that in homes where we don't have robust staff vaccination rates, that is always going to put residents at increased risk of experiencing outbreak. But the good news is, with the delta variant, the existing vaccines are incredibly effective," NIA Director of Health Policy Research, Dr. Samir Sinha.

Resident dies from COVID-19 at Burlington's Tansley Woods LTC home

The death of a person living at a Burlington long-term care home facing an outbreak of COVID-19's Delta variant is leading to questions about the facility's staff vaccination rate.

Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Toronto's Sinai Health, says the fact that most residents have mild symptoms shows the efficacy of the vaccines, even against Delta. "COVID-19 vaccines do not guarantee someone will not get infected," but they greatly reduce the likelihood of serious illness or death, he told CBC Toronto on Tuesday.

Air conditioning in long-term care

In May, the Minister of Long-term Care said at least 83% of long-term care homes will have full air conditioning by the summer. But according to a spokesperson within the long-term care Ministry, the target deadline is now the end of summer. Geriatrician and NIA Associate Fellow Nathan Stall says that's problematic. "The lack of clarity around the timeline is not particularly helpful" says Stall.

By the numbers: A look at COVID-19 in First Nations communities in western Canada

By: Dayne Patterson

Many First Nations across the country used checkpoints and lockdowns to keep the novel coronavirus out of their communities as cases spiked elsewhere. “In other Canadians, COVID has affected older populations and we have much younger populations with fewer older people—and also our infections have tended to be in younger people who experience mild illness, compared to other Canadians,” Adams said.

In Manitoba, deaths in long-term care homes make up more than 40 per cent of Manitoba’s COVID-19 fatalities, according to government data and long-term care data from the National Institute on Ageing which has been tracking COVID-19 in care homes.

Vaccinating homebound individuals to address remaining vaccine gap

Nearly 80% of adults in Toronto have received at least one dose. But that is leaving a fairly large chunk of people without any protection against COVID-19. Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow is going door to door vaccinating homebound people and others who are not getting vaccinated. "The last 25% are going to be the most difficult to reach. It's going to require I think, more efforts like this" says Stall.

Vaccines effective despite COVID outbreak of 16 cases at Burlington LTC home, epidemiologist says

By Jacob Lorinc

A COVID-19 outbreak at a Burlington long-term care home is far less concerning now than it would have been a few months ago, before most residents were fully vaccinated, experts say.

While still being investigated by Halton Public Health, the variant would likely have been spread by people without full vaccinations, whether they be staff, residents or outside visitors, said Nathan Stall, a geriatrician and epidemiologist at the University of Toronto.

Health Matters: Calculating your gathering risk & staying hydrated in the heat

When it comes to visiting, individual risk will vary and a new online calculator by the National Institute on Ageing can help you make informed decisions.

Establishing 'elder abuse' criteria will help the government to design programs and policies to protect seniors

Earlier this week the Minister of Seniors, Deb Schulte, announced that they would launch consultations on the term 'elder abuse.'

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA's Director of Health Policy Research talks to CBC Radio's Julianne Hazlewood about how establishing criteria will help the government to design programs and policies to protect seniors.

New tool for assessment COVID-19 gathering risks

"I think right now everyone just wants a black or white response. But as we all know now, when we're thinking about getting together with others, all these different factors begin coming into play. We developed a decision aid last December, and now we've developed a shorter risk calculator available for anyone interested in calculating their risk. Most importantly, it gives you education. It gives you all the latest knowledge so that you can make that visit more safe with others."

Risk assessment for the pandemic’s late stages

A three-minute online risk assessment exercise is now available to help users gauge their risk of exposure to COVID-19 at private or public gatherings. The Toronto-based National Institute on Ageing developed the freely available tool in consultation with health and epidemiological specialists and with the financial support of the Canadian government.

“Throughout the pandemic, people across Canada have been trying their best to understand how to safely visit and gather with others when allowed to do so,” observes Michael Nicin, executive director of the National Institute of Ageing, which operates from Ryerson University.

Canada’s COVID-19 death toll could be thousands higher than official count: report

By: Leslie Young

In a new report published Tuesday by the Royal Society of Canada, researchers estimate that between Feb. 1 and Nov. 28, 2020, around 6,000 deaths of people aged 45 and older caused directly by COVID-19 have gone uncounted in the official statistics. In total, around two-thirds of COVID-19’s real death toll may have been missed, the report suggests.

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research says “We’re talking about thousands and thousands of Canadians who silently died,” he said. “And their loved ones probably think they died because they might have had a heart attack or they might have had a stroke or they might have had a fall, for example. But unbeknown to them is, their loved one did die of COVID-19.”

Canada's real death toll from COVID-19 may far exceed official tally: report

By: Avis Favaro, Elizabeth St. Philip and Alexandra Mae Jones

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research, published a case report early on in the pandemic detailing a woman who presented atypically, and then was diagnosed with COVID-19 two days later.

“We probably lost a lot of deaths being reported from COVID-19 because there just wasn't any thought to actually investigate those deaths, even in a post-mortem way, just to actually do a test and say, ‘Was COVID a factor?’” he told CTV News.

Planning a get-together? This online tool estimates your COVID-19 risk

By: Avis Favaro and Elizabeth St. Philip

“Within the first 72 hours we had over 32,000 users from across the country,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatric specialist at Mount Sinai hospital in Toronto and a member of the National Institute on Ageing.

“I think with vaccination, we now have newfound freedoms ahead of us, but I think people are really nervous about how to actually negotiate that,” said Sinha.

A tool to calculate the COVID risk of your activities

The National Institute on Ageing at Ryerson University has created a web platform that allows you to check if your plans are safe.

The short questionnaire, which takes about three minutes to complete, also allows you to establish your compliance with health measures, such as wearing a mask or distancing.

How COVID-safe are your plans? Officials say new tool can help you find out

By: Rachel Gilmore

The online tool, crafted by Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing, is an individual risk assessment portal that allows Canadians to plug in details about their plans. The tool then tells you how COVID-19-safe your plans are, using “the best available scientific evidence and the input of leading experts in infectious diseases, public health and epidemiology.”

“This user-friendly online tool provides reliable, science-based information to help you reduce your individual risk when visiting and gathering with others,” wrote Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam in a statement issued Saturday.

Canada needs new rules now for fully vaccinated people

By: Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow; Fahad Razak and Andrew Morris

Now more than 15 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and with widespread access to incredibly effective vaccines, Canada should be less blunt and population-based in its application of public health restrictions. This should start with individual guidance for the fully vaccinated.

Rapid tests would help in the fight against COVID

The National Institute on Ageing (Ryerson University) is Canada’s only think tank dedicated to policy solutions for the aging population. If one searches online for the “NIA Long Term Care COVID-19 Tracker” (ltc-covid19-tracker.ca) and clicks “Canadian Summary,” a pop-up chart will display information including the total number of COVID-19 deaths in long-term care homes.

To date, across Canada there has been a shocking 15,233 resident deaths and 30 staff deaths. Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing, said: “We spend 30% less on the provision of long-term care in Canada versus what other industrialized nations spend."

Sask. Seniors, families hoping for brighter future with COVID-19 restrictions easing

NIA's Director of Health Policy Research, Dr. Samir Sinha, says these reopening measures are long overdue.

“Prior to this measure, Saskatchewan had some of the most restrictive measures in the country, where they were only allowing visits to occur, for example, if only 90 per cent of the residents had been vaccinated,” Sinha stated.

Expanding workplace pensions should be a post-COVID priority

By: Stephen McCormick and Alex Mazer

We know that collective retirement savings plans are the most efficient way to save. Research conducted in 2018, by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), Common Wealth and the National Institute on Ageing, identified five “value drivers” of good retirement plans. With attributes like automatic enrolment, risk pooling and low fees, the best retirement savings plans can reduce the cost of retirement — the savings required to maintain one’s living standard postretirement — by close to $900,000 for a typical Canadian.

AgeTech solutions: New technologies will make a difference in long-term care

By: Alex Mihailidis, Scientific Director and CEO of AGE-WELL

There is an important and essential national conversation underway about how to do better for residents of long-term care and to give more support for dedicated staff who have endured extraordinary stresses.

"I am pleased to be working closely with Dr. Samir Sinha, who is leading the development for Health Standards Organization (HSO) of a national standard for long-term care services to ensure that long-term care residents receive the quality of care they deserve" says Dr. Alex Mihailidis, Chair of the CSA Group Technical Subcommittee on Long-Term Care Homes.

Pattie Lovett-Reid: Here's a tip to stave off retirement-savings crisis

It is important to remember that government programs were put into place to supplement your retirement, not fund it.

But there is one way you could create your own pension using the government plans. According to Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, the Director of Financial Security Research at the National Institute on Ageing, delaying your CPP/QPP benefits for as long as possible is essentially purchasing an inexpensive, inflation-indexed and very secure pension plan. In other words securing income for life.

Lack of guidance for fully vaccinated Canadians

Fully vaccinated seniors in Ontario nursing homes can hug and kiss, but the Public Health Agency of Canada has not released guidance for fully vaccinated people. Geriatrician and NIA Associate Fellow Dr. Nathan Stall says while it may sound unfair to release guidelines that only vaccinated people can follow, it's also unfair to hold back protected people, especially seniors.

Is herd immunity threatened by the Delta variant?

Public health and several experts in immunology consider that it is essential to accelerate the administration of the second dose of vaccines to counter the spread of the Delta variant.

The latest estimates put forward by Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow and Assistant Scientific Director the Scientific Advisory Table show that protection is 30 to 40% effective after the first injection, and rises to 70 to 80% with the second dose.

Accelerating the vaccine rollout

The Delta COVID-19 variant spreads 1.5 times faster than the variant that fueled Ontario's punishing third wave, and one dose of the vaccine is proving less effective against it. Dr. Nathan Stall, Assistant Director of the Ontario Science Advisory Table, and NIA Associate Fellow says "with the Delta variant we need to make the vaccine as accessible as possible and lower all the barriers."

National long-term care services standard technical committee

This week, Health Standards Organization (HSO) announced the 32 members of its Long-Term Care (LTC) Services Technical Committee — chaired by NIA Director of Health Policy Research, Dr. Samir Sinha — which will lead the work on Canada's National Long-Term Care Services standard. "I am honoured to be leading the development of the new National Long-Term Care Services standard with the members of our Technical Committee. I am humbled by the breadth of expertise and lived experience each member brings to the table to do this important work," said Dr. Sinha.

Canada still lacks national guidance for fully vaccinated Canadians as travel restrictions ease

More than 60 per cent of the population has at least one dose and more than eight per cent have two, but as our vaccine rollout strategy shifts toward getting more Canadians fully vaccinated — national guidelines for what activities are safe to do still don't exist.

"We seem to be paralyzed in Canada," said Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Research Fellow and geriatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. "We don't differentiate between who's vaccinated and unvaccinated."

Ontario to release new COVID-19 projections

"Counties like the United States put out guidance as early as March 8 for what a fully vaccinated individual should do. We still don’t have that in Canada." says Dr. Nathan Stall, Geriatrician and NIA Research Fellow.

Police services weighing investigations into long-term care as families wait for justice

By: Jessica Smith Cross

Mallick died on April 27, 2020 at the Hawthorne Place long-term care home, one of the homes assisted by the Canadian Armed Forces during the first wave of the pandemic. A year after his death, a report from the military was made public that detailed neglect and horrific conditions at the home, alleging that there had been "resident deaths due to dehydration and malnourishment."

Geriatrician and NIA Research Fellow Nathan Stall said staffing levels described in the report mean it "would be impossible to meet any basic level of care" for the residents, adding that higher staffing levels would have been required because of the demands of caring for residents with COVID-19.

What's next for vaccinated Canadians?

Some doctors are calling for more clarity on what people can and cannot do if they've had two COVID-19 vaccine doses. "If you're fully vaccinated, you're in the same boat as everyone else. We're here in early June, and we still do not have any specific guidance for what fully vaccinated, compared to partially vaccinated, compared to unvaccinated individuals can do. What we're left with is this population level guidance that's applied to all individuals" says Dr. Nathan Stall, Geriatrician and NIA Associate Fellow.

Elderly expressing shock for the ability of New Brunswick nursing homes to evict residents with just 15 days notice

The elderly are expressing shock over the ability of New Brunswick nursing homes to evict residents with just 15 days notice.

"It's scary. It's scary because it reminds us how vulnerable individuals who are living in our long-term care homes are" says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. "When there are rules or regulations that say one can be evicted, it's often these are people who are in long-term care because they have nowhere else to go. So when a home can give just 15 days notice for someone to try and relocate themselves to another home, when there are, if you're in Ontario, 39,000 people on the waitlist, that's almost a near impossible task."

Should vaccines be mandatory for LTC staff?

Ontario announced yesterday that it will be mandating for homes to have an immunization policy in place, and track and report its implementation. Kelly talks to Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

2nd vaccine doses speed up in fight against B.1.617 variant

With just a fraction of Canadians fully vaccinated, and re-opening plans playing out in several provinces, doctors say don't let your guard down. "We want to make sure we aren't putting ourselves in a situation where we all crowd onto a beach and we're all standing shoulder to shoulder with each other. That's actually how these things start to spread" says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

CBC News - Warmer weather and outdoor gatherings

Doctors say being outside is much safer than being indoors, but it's not at zero risk. "Especially when we have the Delta variant now, which is extremely transmissible, and more deadly. And we have the vast majority of Canadians who haven't received a second dose which is what you need to really protect yourself against that variant. We are not out of the woods yet" says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute on Ageing.

New national standard for LTC will improve the safety and quality of care

Dr. Samir Sinha is NIA's Director of Health Policy Research and the Director of Geriatrics at Mount Sinai and the University Health Network (UHN) Hospitals. He’s the expert lead of Ontario’s Seniors Strategy. In this column, Dr. Sinha reflects on developing new national LTC standards for Canada in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and how RPNs can be pivotal to the process.

Ontario eases restrictions on long-term care residents

Long-term care residents will finally be able to spend quality time outside the facility. The province has relaxed restrictions and starting next Wednesday, long-term care residents who've been fully vaccinated will be able to leave their facilities for day and overnight trips.

Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow and Geriatrician says this is another step towards normalcy.

Today’s coronavirus news: Experts urge Ontario to speed up second doses for essential workers in hot spots; 10K Tokyo Olympics volunteers drop out; Ontario could reopen early

Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow says, with Ontario getting increasing supplies of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the required interval between shots for the oldest residents — most at risk of serious illness or death — should be reduced to get them protected quicker.

Corbella: Improving the quality of life of our seniors in care is at the centre of new strategy

By: Licia Corbella

Dr. Samir Sinha — NIA Director of Health Policy Research and the Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health System — says whenever he has a chance to speak to policy makers, he reminds them that helping the elderly live longer in their homes by providing home care is the only time government can give people what they want and spend less money.

Sinha says home care is the least costly form of continuing care out there. Sinha says that at any given time, about 15 per cent of hospitalized Canadians are elderly people designated as “alternate level of care” or patients who should be in a nursing home or in their own home with more supports.

More older Canadians hope to age at home post-COVID: Here’s how to do it successfully

That desire is echoed in research conducted in July 2020 by the National Institute on Ageing at Toronto’s Ryerson University. COVID has further reinforced the conviction of many Canadians to stay in their homes rather than moving into a nursing home or long-term care facility. Sixty per cent of study participants said the pandemic had changed their opinion on whether they’d arrange for themselves or an older loved one to live in a nursing or retirement home. Meanwhile, 91 per cent of respondents said they aimed “to live safely and independently in their own home as long as possible.”

Toronto Star - Staff at Ontario long-term-care homes will need to get the COVID vaccine, or get educated about it, barring a medical exemption

By: May Warren

“This is kind of the step before actually mandating vaccination” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. As well, homes will now be asking staff for their personal medical information on whether they got the COVID vaccine.

“It might actually create more resistance in some people as opposed to figuring out what is the barrier,” he said, adding it’s also important to make it more convenient for staff to get vaccines and “easy for them to do the right thing.”

Are we reopening too fast or too slow?

Many Canadians over 70 have not yet received their second COVID-19 vaccine dose. That's raised questions about potential risks to our elders as provinces begin to open up. Dr. Samir Sinha is the Director of Geriatrics at Mount Sinai and UHN, and NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

"Before we reopen up too quickly, we need to make sure as many of these vulnerable people across Canada get their second doses, and if they haven't had their first dose we need to get those in too" says Dr. Sinha.

CTV News - Doctor fears 'vaccine Hunger Games 2.0' for Ontario seniors looking to book second dose

By: Joshua Freeman

“So they (the province) has neither reserved doses for these older adults for second shots, nor have they guaranteed them bookings,” says Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow. “So this is going to create, I fear, the sort of vaccine ‘Hunger Games’ 2.0 for these older adults, where they're now being asked to go back onto the multiple booking systems through multiple sites.”

He said rather than put the onus on seniors to re-book their appointments, the province should have proactively reached out to seniors to offer them earlier appointments.

CBC Radio Ontario Morning with Julianne Hazlewood - Upgrading long-term care facilities and staffing

Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research and Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health System and the University Health Network in Toronto offers his perspective on how successful the provincial government has been in its commitment to upgrade facilities and staffing at our long term care facilities.

"It's not having enough beds, it's when you don't have enough people actually there to provide the right amount of care. That's when things really suffer for these residents" says Dr. Sinha.

How soon are second doses coming for Canadians, and who will get them first?

By: Patricia Treble

Seniors who are 70 and older should be next in line for second doses, says Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow, geriatrician at Sinai Health in Toronto, and co-author of an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail on May 26: “Older adults, after all, have borne the brunt of the pandemic. Despite accounting for just 12 per cent of the Canadian population, people over 70 have suffered more than 85 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in the country. One dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine does provide substantial protection against symptomatic infection, even among older adults."

Global News Radio 640 Toronto - Promises of air conditioning for long-term care not kept

It's been a year since Premier Doug Ford promised to mandate air conditioning in long-term care homes. The lack of government action doesn't come as a surprise to Dr. Samir Sinha, Chair of the National Long-term Care Standards Committee and NIA Director of Health Policy Research. "I think again it's another example of promises being made but promises not necessarily being kept, and hoping that nobodies really going to notice" says Dr. Sinha.

The Globe and Mail - Opinion: Older Canadians should be getting their second vaccine doses, right now

By: Nathan Stall - NIA Associate Fellow with Allison McGeer and Irfan Dhalla

With most adults partially vaccinated, our strategy must change, by circling back to older Canadians who have been waiting weeks or even months for their second doses, and rapidly immunizing them fully, even if first doses haven’t yet made their way into the arms of all Canadian adults and adolescents.

CTV News - Calls for second dose appointments grow louder

"Certainly with increasing vaccine supply, or even appointments now readily going unfilled in some jurisdictions, I think there's no time like the present to start allowing those second doses to be given to older adults" says Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research.

Toronto Star - Seniors over 80 have lower vaccination rates in Toronto and Peel than other age groups. How groups are working to change that

By: Maria Sarrouh and Olivia Bowden

Hot-spot neighbourhoods in Ontario are seeing lower COVID-19 vaccination rates for seniors over 80 than neighbourhoods with lower incidence of the virus — indicating the most at-risk populations are still being missed for the vaccine.

“A lot of people like to think it’s just vaccine hesitancy, but it’s really not, to any significant degree,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research. “The data really is speaking to the fact there’s a vaccine gap that’s not really fueled by hesitancy.”

National Post - TELUS Health first in Canada to provide residents with innovative LivingWell Companion personal emergency response services on Apple Watch

“Tools or devices that help older Canadians improve their activity levels, and monitor and address personal health and safety issues can be incredibly important in supporting healthy aging,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health and the University Health Network, Toronto.

“What’s significant about this solution is that its design and capabilities contribute to older Canadians maintaining both their independence and dignity, and it also offers caregivers and loved ones peace of mind.”

CBC News - Here's what's opening in Ontario this weekend as restrictions ease

Some families were frustrated that the announcement came so late given the high rates of vaccinations in long-term care. As of Friday, about 96 per cent of long-term care residents in Ontario have been fully immunized with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a release from the province. Nearly 59 per cent of Ontarians 16 and older have also had at least one dose.

People also expressed dismay at the abrupt reopening, saying not all homes could organize outdoor visits for the long weekend. Dr. Nathan Stall, NIA Associate Fellow and geriatrician in Toronto, said it may take some time for homes to implement these visits due to the possibility of low staff or resources given the 24-hour notice.

CBC News - New long-term care standards will fall flat without money or enforcement, experts warn

By: Karina Roman

"We're pushing to basically say with everything that we've learned so far, with everything we're learning about the state of long-term care in Canada, how do we actually make these new standards pandemic-proof?" said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research and Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health and the University Health Network in Toronto.

CBC News - New visitation rules for long-term care homes fall short amid high vaccination rates: advocates

By: Sabrina Jonas

Dr. Nathan Stall, a geriatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital, member of Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table, and NIA Associate Fellow, says the news is welcome, albeit a little late.

"It's what we've been calling for for a while," he said. "Overall, this is good news."

"Recognizing that the risk for outdoor transmission is markedly lower, recognizing that residents in long-term care homes have very high rates of vaccination...It's time to allow them to interact meaningfully and safely with their loves ones," Stall said.

What's happening with your second dose?

The interval for Pfizer and Moderna has shortened to 28 days. But people who got AstraZeneca first are frustrated with the process of getting a second dose. Reaction and analysis with Dr. Nathan Stall of the Science Advisory Table, Toronto pharmacist Mina Maseh, and Ontario Pharmacists Association CEO Justin Bates.

Toronto Star - ‘I am ecstatic’: Relaxing of rules means long-term-care residents can now enjoy outdoor visits with family

By: Maria Sarrouh

“I think this is going to be a huge opportunity for people to finally restore some of the dignity and quality of life, especially for residents living in our long-term-care homes,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA Director of Health Policy Research and Director of Geriatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. While he “welcomes” the change, he said it’s “long overdue.”

Toronto Star - We’re so close to the pandemic being over. Let’s not mess this up

By: Bruce Arthur

Kids under 12 still can’t be vaccinated yet, though at least they’re the least at risk. Variants are still a wild card. The ICUs remain overfull, and the decline of patients has stalled in the high 700s for a system that used to say 150 was difficult; without functioning intensive care a society will have trouble functioning. From cancelled surgeries to deferred doctors’ visits to undercounted mortality, the bill in this province has been run very high — for all the suffering, we’re not done. As Dr. Nathan Stall, Associate Fellow at the NIA and a member of the science table, puts it, “many of the deaths have been deferred.”

CBC News - The push to loosen visitor restrictions in LTC

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, joined CBC Toronto to discuss families pleading with the government to loosen visitor restrictions, at least for outdoor visits in long-term care homes.

Reader's Digest Canada - Here’s Why You Need to Go For a Walk Every Single Day

By: Christina Frangou

Hospitals have also begun to embrace the value of walking. At Mount Sinai in Toronto, older patients weren’t always encouraged to get up from bed because of the risk of falling. About ten years ago, that changed. Assisted by doctors, nurses and volunteers, patients are now prompted to walk to the bathroom, explore the hallways and get out of bed to eat their meals.

Since that change, fewer patients require catheters and suffer pressure ulcers. On average, they spend less time in the hospital. “Every day that an older person is in bed, they lose five per cent of their physical functioning,” says Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA. "So getting them up and walking can reduce the chance that grandma might not be able to return home.”

Global News - Vaccine uptick a chance to get Canada’s most vulnerable a 2nd dose — and sooner

By: Rachael D'Amore

“The thinking was: Let’s get as many first doses into people’s arms as quickly as possible because some protection is better than no protection,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, who led advocacy for seniors over the age of 70 to be prioritized for vaccinations in Ontario’s Phase 1.

“While that’s a really good strategy that works well in young people … We know that strategy doesn’t work as well in older people.”

Global News - Canada may see 4th COVID-19 wave if restrictions eased too quickly, experts warn

By: Saba Aziz

“There is a lot of fear right now that if we reopen too soon, that we could trigger a fourth wave,” said Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA.

“If many people have first dose vaccinations … it may not be as catastrophic as previous waves that we’ve seen before,” Sinha added.

insauga- OPINION: It’s time for Doug Ford to stop deflecting and work towards reopening Brampton, Mississauga and Ontario

By: Ashley Newport

Citing a Public Health Ontario report, Dr. Nathan Stall, Associate Fellow at the NIA, called Ford's hyperfocus on the border "a distraction."

"[Doug Ford] continues to assert that tightening federal borders will help drive Ontario’s case counts down much faster. In the last week, just 318 of 25,001 (1.3 per cent) of COVID19 cases in Ontario were travel-related," Stall said in a tweet.

"This is nothing but a distraction."

Ontario accelerates shots for all adults, while hotspots receive fewer vaccines

Nathan Stall, a geriatrician and member of the province’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said the extra supply to hot spots was desperately needed two weeks ago. But now, he said, supply isn’t the only issue in some communities. He noted some clinics had been struggling to fill appointments and opened up eligibility to anyone over 18 in Toronto on the weekend.

He said more focus needs to be on reaching homebound seniors who aren’t able to travel to clinics, as well as providing second doses to seniors in hot spots.

“I think that’s where the extra supply definitely could have been used,” he said. “A lot of these clinics are hamstrung because they would like to be able to provide second doses to 90-year-olds and they’re having to turn them away at the door, literally.”

LEARN MORE>

How do we convince the ‘maybes’ to get the COVID-19 vaccine? This nursing home has answers for Ontario

The Wexford is a not-for-profit nursing home on a busy commercial strip in a COVID-19 hot spot in Scarborough. Bassett, the CEO and executive director, had learned a week earlier that the home would be among the first in Ontario to be offered vaccinations.

Long-term-care operators across the province face a challenge that threatened the goal of protecting vulnerable seniors: staff were not initially signing up in large numbers. It was up to people like Bassett and her team to address the hesitancy. But how?

“Trust is the absolute bedrock of a successful vaccination program,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA. “The rest is just logistics.”

LEARN MORE>

Calls growing to expand visits in Ontario long-term-care homes as vaccinated residents still can’t see family

As of May 11th, 96 per cent of residents and 53 per cent of long-term-care staff are fully vaccinated, with 86 per cent of staff having received at least one jab, according to the Ministry of Long-Term Care. As well, 98 per cent of essential caregivers — often family members who are allowed in long-term care homes — have had their first dose.

“The time is now to continue to liberate these residents from the restrictions they’re living under,” said Dr. Nathan Stall, Associate Fellow at the NIA. “The only metric we look at cannot be COVID-19 cases and deaths. We need to consider the humanity of what we’re doing … for many people, we are robbing them of a very limited amount of time they have left on this planet.”

LEARN MORE>

You’ll save more lives': Calls grow for sooner second-doses for elderly as Ontario expands eligibility

More than 90 per cent of deaths that have occurred among partially-vaccinated people are in older adults, said Dr. Nathan Stall, Associate Fellow at the NIA. Still, he said, the incoming levels of Pfizer supply should make it possible to prioritize elderly patients for second doses while still immunizing younger people.

“I don’t think we necessarily need to be thinking about out as an ‘either-or,’” he said.

“Now that the supply has changed, we need to change our course and nuance our strategy a bit, and that’s circling back and making sure that we [fully] vaccinate our older adults.”

LEARN MORE>

Dr. Samir Sinha: Impact of COVID-19 on Long-Term Care in Canada

Long-term care homes have the highest rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Canada. The pandemic has revealed deeply concerning issues with the state of these facilities. We speak with Dr. Samir Sinha, the Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, about the root causes of these issues and how they are being addressed.

LEARN MORE>

Failing long-term care homes

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, joined CTV National News to discuss the future of long term care after the COVID-19 pandemic.

LEARN MORE>

Fullerton Responds to Long-Term Care Report

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, joined CTV News Channel to discuss Fullerton's response to the long-term care report.

LEARN MORE>

Long term care: Are things any better?

Geriatrician Dr. Nathan Stall, Assistant Scientific Director for the COVID 19 Science Advisory Table and Associate Fellow at the NIA, says homes are safer now than a year ago because of vaccines. But callers say staff are exhausted and caring for too many residents.

LEARN MORE>

Resident isolation, staffing remain significant concerns in Ontario long-term care centres

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, said those restrictions, which included limiting visits from family members, had profound mental health effects on residents, and included the worsening of loneliness, social isolation, depression and dementia.

Now, with almost every resident vaccinated, and the risks of outbreaks significantly declined, Sinha said the burden of the restrictions are probably doing more harm than good.

"And I think a lot of people are losing hope because we're not re-opening homes in the way we should."

LEARN MORE>

Ontario will transfer of hospital patients to LTCs without consent

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, joined Kelly to discuss transferring COVID-19 patients in to long-term care homes.

LEARN MORE>

Family of 99-year-old Holocaust survivor homebound in Toronto pleads for COVID-19 vaccine

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, led advocacy for seniors over the age of 70 to be prioritized for vaccinations in phase one. He told Global News he feels terrible for seniors like Frieda who are still waiting to be vaccinated.

He said the issue is not only the supply of the Moderna vaccination, which is best suited to in-home vaccinations since it travels well, but also a lack of vaccinations.

Sinha said roughly 6,000 seniors in Toronto have been registered for in-home COVID-19 vaccinations. But Toronto Public Health reported only around 2,300 people have gotten a shot.

LEARN MORE>

COVID-19 patients can now be transferred into long-term care homes without consent

Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA, joined CTV Your Morning to discuss his thoughts on the province's new plan of transferring COVID-19 patients in to long-term care homes.

LEARN MORE>

Ontario ‘completely ignored and bulldozed’ problems in long-term care: former inspector

Dr. Nathan Stall, Associate Fellow at the NIA, said that many provincial inspections of homes that experienced the worst outbreaks showed “gross deficiencies.” He questions why more action wasn’t taken to fix the problems prior to the pandemic.

“There’s no real follow up to ensure that the deficiencies have been corrected. And there’s also no penalty or recourse for failing to do so,” Dr. Stall said.

LEARN MORE>

The Ford government ‘didn’t start the fire’ but spread lots of gasoline around

“I know it’s not only her by any means who let community spread get out of control, but it got out of control,” says Dr. Nathan Stall, Associate Fellow at the NIA, and a member of the province’s independent volunteer science table. “OK, yes, the long-term-care sector had many deficiencies that were never addressed; no, you did not manufacture COVID-19. But you also didn’t stop the fire from burning down the house.

LEARN MORE>