By Réjean Hébert aging population, baby boomers, Canada Health Act, Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, health service funding, homecare, long-term care
Funding home care and long-term care is fast becoming the main challenge of our outdated medicare system — a system developed in the mid-twentieth century for a young population that mostly required acute care from hospitals and physicians.
By Gregory Huyer and Ivy Lynn Bourgeault aging population, baby boomers, Canada Health Act, Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, health service funding, health workforce, homecare, long-term care
We know that Canada’s population is aging. Among the many statistics that have been reported is how in 2015, the proportion of Canadian seniors surpassed that of youth under 15 for the first time. The gap will continue to widen over the next 20 years.
By Neena Chappell and Marcus J. Hollander aging population, baby boomers, Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, GDP, health service funding, Healthcare Costs and Spending, homecare, long-term care, physician services, public health care
As the Canadian population continues to age, there is a need to revisit conventional thinking regarding the provision of health care services for seniors to ensure that the system is sustainable for all Canadians. There are a number of misperceptions in current thinking.
By Fiona Kouyoumdjian and Stephen Hwang appropriate treatment, Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, healthcare in prison, hepatitis C, HIV, homelessness, mental illness, premature death, public health care, substance use, treatments
The tragic stories of Ashley Smith, Edward Snowshoe and other inmates who have died while in Canadian correctional facilities have rightly made headlines around the country.
By Harvey Chochinov advance directive, Canada, Canada Health Act, Canada’s healthcare system, dementia, End of life care, health, medically assisted suicide, palliative care, Right to die, supreme court decision
On June 6, the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision making physician-hastened death legal will come into effect. A parliamentary committee asked to help the government plot how that would roll out in Canada has made some far-reaching recommendations, well beyond what was contemplated by the court in Carter v. Canada.
By Matthew Herder Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, health risks, knowledge, publicly funded healthcare system, risks
Recently federal and provincial health ministers agreed to create a working group to explore how to improve Canadians’ access to pharmaceutical drugs. In the wake of this, there is new optimism that pharmacare, publicly funded and universally available to Canadians, might one day come to pass.
By Harvey Chochinov advance directive, Canada, Canada Health Act, Canada’s healthcare system, dementia, End of life care, health, medically assisted suicide, palliative care, Right to die, supreme court decision
The moment we are born, our lives take flight; and the longer we are airborne, the greater the chance of encountering turbulence along the way. While every flight is destined to land, some landings are harder to contemplate than others.
By Harvey Max Chochinov Canada, Canada Health Act, Canada’s healthcare system, End of life care, health, medically assisted suicide, mental illness, Right to die, suicide, supreme court decision
Who but those who have experienced it can appreciate the soul crushing anguish of mental illness? Afflictions of the mind can be paralyzing and fundamentally change the way we perceive ourselves (I am worthless), anticipate the future (my prospects are hopeless), and experience the world (life is unfair and unforgiving). The combination of self-loathing, hopelessness and despair can tragically lead to suicide.
By Kathleen O’Grady autism, Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian health care, communications, families, Health is more than healthcare, healthcare, public healthcare
Over a year ago, I was invited to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day on Parliament Hill. It was attended by a dozen or more Senators from both major parties, political staffers and invited guests mostly from an assortment of autism non-profit organizations. I expected a somewhat predictable ‘feel good’ event about how far we’ve come and how far we have still to go. But an hour later there weren’t many dry eyes in the chamber.
By Brian Rotenberg Canada Health Act, Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, health, health advice, health risks, knowledge, medically necessary, over-prescribing, publicly funded healthcare system, risks, viruses
I am privileged to help patients deal with a variety of common disorders such as ear infections, pharyngitis and sinus inflammation. People suffer a great deal from these problems, especially when they are in the acute phase.