We often speak about long-term care in Manitoba as though it’s a burden to be managed, instead of a system to be transformed. A new report from the World Health Organization and OECD offered the price of care as one of the most powerful tools we have.
Around the world, countries are rethinking how long-term care is funded and priced. Not just how much, but how pricing decisions shape equity, quality, and sustainability. Manitoba should be paying close attention.
In countries like Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, long-term care isn’t funded as an afterthought. It’s backed by dedicated LTC insurance systems that prioritize financial protection, timely access, and continuity of care. The message is clear: aging isn’t a crisis to contain—it’s a responsibility to meet with dignity.
MARCHE has been sounding the alarm on personal care homes doing more with less while supporting residents with higher levels of acuity, responding to earlier discharges from the hospital, and serving as a vital piece of the health care continuum. But our funding model hasn’t kept up.
Care homes are not facilities—they’re homes. And homes require more than basic maintenance. They need to be resourced for relationship-based care, cultural safety, spiritual wellbeing, and a workforce that’s supported, not stretched to the limit.
The WHO/OECD report points to jurisdictions where price add-ons, tiered funding, and negotiated rates are helping providers respond to diverse needs and rising complexity. Meanwhile, in Manitoba, we continue to operate under a one-size-fits-all system that is outdated and doesn’t address the growing complexity of care.
The consequences? Overburdened hospitals. Burned-out staff. Delays in placement. And worst of all, missed opportunities for older adults to live in environments that foster connection, autonomy, and joy.
This isn’t about money alone. It’s about VALUES. It’s about whether we believe that older adults in Manitoba deserve a system designed to serve them, not just house them.
At MARCHE, we’re advocating for a funding model that reflects the real cost of dignified care—one that is transparent, responsive, and rooted in partnerships. That means engaging government, families, residents, and providers in building a model that works.
We don’t need to start from scratch. The global evidence is there. The WHO/OECD report offers a clear roadmap. Manitoba should take the detour off the status quo.
Let’s get the price of care right—because the cost of getting it wrong is something none of us can afford.
Reference: Pricing long-term care for older adults