Long-term care

Advance care planning is a voluntary process of deciding and communicating your current and future health-care goals, wishes and values. If you have not done any advanced care planning, it can be completed when you move into your long-term care home and at any point during your stay. This information will be used to make plans for your care.  

When you move into your long-term care home, someone from your health–care team will meet with you or your substitute decision maker (SDM) to discuss your health-care goals, wishes, and values as well as your thoughts on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). You will be given a chance to complete an advance health–care directive. An advance health–care directive is a written statement of your health-care wishes. It is only used when you are unable to communicate these wishes for yourself.   

A substitute decision maker (SDM) is the person who will speak for you when you cannot speak for yourself. A SDM should know your wishes, values and goals of care. This is the person you trust to make sure your wishes are followed. If you do not name a SDM and are no longer able to tell us your wishes, a SDM will be decided using the Province’s Advance Health Care Directive Legislation. 

A power of attorney is a written legal document that names the person you wish to act on your behalf in relation to financial matters. An enduring power of attorney is required if you become mentally incapacitated.   

Making health-care decisions for yourself, or for someone you love can be very difficult. NL Health Services offers an ethics consultation service for you, your family and staff. It is available to anyone who needs help in making difficult decisions. All residents, family and staff can ask for this service. You can talk to the resident care manager at your long-term care home for more information.  

You can apply for financial help to cover the cost of accessing a long-term care home. A financial assessment officer will guide you through the process and help you complete the financial assessment package as part of your move. 

Contact the community support manager at your local Community Services/Support office

During the assessment, you will choose a preferred long-term care home(s) that meets your care needs. A tour of the home(s) you are considering can be arranged by your case manager. Your case manager will send the completed assessment to placement services.  A Placement Coordinator reviews it and identifies the best care setting to meet your needs such as a personal care home or a long-term care home. You will receive a letter to advise if you have been approved for placement and the type of care setting you have been approved for. You will then be placed on a waitlist and notified when a bed that meets your care needs becomes available. Once a suitable bed becomes available, a bed offer will be made to you. If you are unable or unwilling to accept placement, your case manager will contact you to discuss your care options. 

When you wish to use the services of a private care provider, you are responsible to verify the credentials of the provider, arrange the service, pay any fees and end the service when no longer needed. You need to let the resident care manager know that you have a private health provider visiting you or your loved one.         

NL Health Services has identified that separation of spouses is often harmful to their overall health, we strive to work with each couples’ request on an individual basis. Guidance is provided for spousal admission in the Newfoundland and Labrador LTC Operational Standards.

 Long-term care home listing

If you want to move to a different room, talk to a nurse or social worker at your site to discuss your options. There are times when a resident may have to move to another room for medical or other reasons. If a move is needed, the care team works with you to make the move in a way that is the least troublesome for you as possible.

If you want to move to a different long-term care home, talk to the social worker at your home. The social worker will notify placement services of the home you wish to transfer to.  If the home can meet your care needs and no bed is available, you will be placed on a waitlist.   

Long-term care homes have Resident Family Councils where members work with long-term care managers and staff to improve the quality of life of long-term care residents.  The council gives you and your family a chance to have a say in the way things are done in the long-term care home.  

We want to know how you feel about the care given at your long-term care home, especially if you are dissatisfied. To help us quickly address any concerns you may have, please: 

1. Talk to the staff involved when you have a concern, they will do their best to respond accordingly. 
2. If the staff member cannot address your concern to your satisfaction, you can contact the resident care manager to setup a meeting.   
3. If the resident care manager cannot address your concern to your satisfaction, or you wish to make a formal complaint, you may contact patient relations. 

We want to know how you feel about the care given at your long-term care home. We want to know if things are going well, and if you are pleased with the experience. You can talk to the staff involved, contact the resident care manager, site administrator, or program manager. If you wish to make a formal compliment, you may contact the patient relations department

Staff must confirm you or your loved ones’ identity before they provide any care or service, such as giving medications. This is an important step to make sure you receive safe, quality care. When you or your loved one moves into a long-term care home, a staff member will talk to you about the ways staff confirm identity.   

Creating a welcoming environment in long-term care homes for everyone, including residents, visitors, and staff is important. Long-term care is committed to providing care and services for 2SLGBTQIA+ residents, partners, families and friends, while also fostering a welcoming and safe space for volunteers, staff and the community. 

Using the right equipment to help residents move is important for everyone’s safety. The health-care team will work with you to get the best equipment to meet your needs. 

• If you and your family are thinking about buying equipment, you should talk to your health-care team to make sure it meets your or your loved ones’ needs.
• Any equipment you want to bring into the long-term care home will be checked to make sure it is safe and right for you. 
• The health-care team will teach you how to safely use any equipment you or your loved one may need. It is important that you follow their directions for use.    

Safety checks are done on a regular basis to find and deal with any possible risks or dangers. Staff patrol buildings and grounds to make sure the long-term care home is safe from theft, damage and fire. Some long-term care homes have video cameras. If you see anything suspicious that may pose a danger or safety risk, please let a manager or staff member know right away.   

People working in the long-term care home must wear an identification (ID) badge. This will help you and your family identify staff who work here. If you cannot read the ID badge and/or staff do not tell you who they are, you can ask for their name and what their job is. If you see anything suspicious, please let a manager know right away. 

Most long-term care homes do not have set visiting hours, however, doors are locked in the evening for security reasons. We ask that family members call before making a late visit and ring the doorbell at the front entrance, if the doors are locked. Please check with the long-term care staff to find out what time the doors are locked. 

Visitor precautions are put in place when there’s an infectious outbreak, such as influenza (often called the “flu”) or gastroenteritis (often called the “stomach bug”).  Family members are still allowed to visit but will need to follow all the posted visitor precaution guidelines. You must speak to a nurse before visiting the room of someone on “isolation precautions” to find out what steps you need to follow.  

People are asked not to wear or bring scented products into our long-term care homes. Scented products can cause serious problems for people with asthma, allergies and sensitivities. Scented products include perfume, cologne, deodorant, aftershave, hair spray, body spray, scented creams or lotions, and air fresheners.  Anyone wearing a scented product may be asked to leave or wait outside the home.  

People are asked not to bring items into long-term care homes that may cause problems for people with allergies including flowers such as poinsettias and easter lilies as well as latex balloons  

NL Health Services does not permit smoking and vaping at long-term care homes. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with staff.    

Before you bring a pet to a long-term care location, please first speak to the resident care manager or a nurse in charge. 

Many residents in long-term care may not be able to have all types of food and drink because of allergies or other health concerns. As such, we ask you to please: 

• Check with a nurse before giving a resident food or drinks. 
• Do not bring in perishable food, as it may spoil and not be safe to eat. 
• Only bring in food that is included in your loved one’s special diet. 
• Contact the nursing staff when asking for food. Do not go into areas where food is being made. 
• Check with a nurse before you offer, give or reheat food, for your loved one or other residents

Please talk to the resident care manager or nurse in charge before bringing in alcohol for your loved one to ensure the safety of all residents. 

Entrances are kept locked when long-term care residents who live there are at risk of getting lost if they leave the area or home alone.  Some locks have a keypad that family members/visitors may have a code to unlock. When you visit, you must: 

• Make sure doors are closed completely when coming into or leaving the area/home. 
• Do not help other people leave, as they may be residents who could get lost.