Long-Term Care Isn’t Just for Seniors—It’s for All of Us
May 8th, 2025At MARCHE, we don’t see care homes as institutions.
We see them as homes—places where people live, love, age, and continue to belong.
The individuals who live in personal care homes are not just residents. They’re parents, grandparents, neighbours, and friends. They’ve built communities, raised families, and shaped Manitoba. And now, in a time of increasing care needs, they deserve more than just a bed and a routine. They deserve dignity. They deserve connection. And they deserve the freedom to live life on their own terms.
The Story the Data Tells
The Long-Term Care Utilization data from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy doesn’t just offer numbers—it reveals patterns, realities, and urgent truths.
Most Manitobans enter personal care homes following a hospital stay. The transition to long-term care often comes during a vulnerable moment—unexpected, overwhelming, and emotionally charged.
And the people entering care? They’re overwhelmingly over the age of 75. Most are living with multiple chronic conditions. Their care needs are complex. Their stories are layered. Their lives still matter.
The system is under pressure—and it’s not easing up.
What Can We Do About it?
This data affirms what we hear every day from families and frontline workers. It strengthens our resolve and guides our advocacy.
Here’s what we’re fighting for:
1. Better Transitions from Hospital to Home
No one should be left behind during a care transition. People need coordinated, compassionate, person-first planning that helps them land safely—not abruptly—in long-term care.
2. Person-Directed Care That Preserves Dignity
Care homes should never feel like the end of the road. They should feel like communities—places where residents can continue to make choices, practice traditions, and live with meaning.
3. Funding That Matches Today’s Realities
We’re no longer operating in yesterday’s world. As care needs evolve, so must our investments. We’re calling for sustainable, equitable funding that reflects the true complexity of the work being done in care homes across the province.
Why This Isn’t Just About “Them”
If you haven’t yet been touched by long-term care—you will. Whether you’re planning for your own aging journey, helping a loved one, or simply living in a province where aging affects the health system, economy, and communities—this matters to you.
At MARCHE, we are committed to pushing for a long-term care system that is compassionate, responsive, and future-ready. Because behind every data point is a person. And every person deserves to live in a place that feels like home.
The Challenge
Now, we invite you to ask yourself:
What kind of care home would you want to live in?
And then—what can you do today to help build it?
📌 Source: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy – Long-Term Care Utilizationscriptions.php?ds=LTCUtilization