Standards for safer long-term care homes

425,000

Canadians

live in long-term care facilities^[1]

80%

of all COVID-19 deaths

reported during the first wave were residents of nursing and seniors’ homes^[2]

199,000

new long-term care beds

will be required in Canada by 2035^[2]

Long-term care homes

Learn more about the new national standard for long term care operations and infection prevention and control.

CSA Group – a champion for better long-term care homes

The global COVID-19 pandemic highlighted some of the unique challenges within Canada’s long-term care (LTC) sector. Leveraging the extensive experience in facilitating the development of standards for health care facilities design, operation, and infection prevention and control, CSA Group initiated several activities to help ensure that LTC homes are safe for their residents and staff, including:

identifying existing CSA standards that can be applied in LTC homes
exploring standards-related gaps and needs of the LTC sector
facilitating the development of a new standard for LTC home operations and infection prevention and control
enhanced public engagement in the standard development process, including public consultations with various groups and communities, surveys, and informational sessions on the standard public review process
support for embedding LTC standards into regulations
training to help LTC operators and staff implement the requirements of a new standard for LTC home operations and infection prevention and control

These initiatives aim at helping ensure that more than 250,000 residents who call LTC facilities their home are receiving the quality of care they need and deserve.

Feature

Long-term care home operations and infection prevention and control

The new national standard CSA Z8004:22 provides guidance on safe operating practices and effective infection prevention and control in LTC homes. The Standard was shaped by the needs and voices of Canada’s long-term care residents, family members, caregivers, and workforce.

CSA Z8004:22

Long-term care home operations and infection prevention and control

Resources

CSA Group standards, research, policy briefs, and other resources

Leverage the resources CSA Group and its volunteer members developed to provide you with information, guidance, best practices, and requirements to help ensure that LTC homes are safe for their residents and staff.

Press Release

New National Standard to Address Mental Health and Well-Being in Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Settings

Read the press release

Research report

Dementia-Inclusive Home and Community Care in Canada

Policy brief

Connecting the CSA Group long-term care standard to Canadian public policy

Report

Gender Report

Policy summary

CSA Group long-term care standard: Impact on Indigenous communities

Infographic

What We Heard – public consultations and surveys

Policy summary

CSA Group long-term care standard: Impact on residents and families

Policy summary

CSA Group long-term care standard: Impact on LTCH providers and facility workers

Infographic

CSA Group – Your ally for better long-term care homes

Research report

Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being in Community Residential Care Settings

Public review of CSA Z8004, Long-term care home operations and infection prevention and control

Report

What We Heard: Public consultations and surveys

Report

What We Heard: Consultation with operators and management

Report

What We Heard: Consultation with 2SLGBTQI+ community

Report

What We Heard: Consultation with older adults

Report

What We Heard: Consultation on working with Indigenous communities

Report

What We Heard: Consultation with francophone frontline workers

Report

What We Heard: Consultation with frontline workers

Research report

A Canadian Roadmap for an Aging Society

Case study

CSA Z8000: Building for health and safety in our health care facilities

Research report

Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care Facility Design

Training

Operations, Management, and Maintenance of Long-Term Care Homes

Training

Person Centred Care in Long-Term Care Homes

Training

Infection Prevention and Control in Long-term Care Homes - Instructor-Led Course

CSA Z8004:22

Long-term care home operations and infection prevention and control

Get Standard

CSA Z8000-18

Canadian health care facilities

View Standard

CSA Z32:21

Electrical safety and essential electrical systems in health care facilities

Get Standard

CSA Z317.1:21

Special requirements for plumbing installations in health care facilities

Get Standard

CSA Z317.2:19

Special requirements for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in health care facilities

View Standard

CSA Z317.10:21

Handling of health care waste materials

Get Standard

CSA Z317.12:20

Cleaning and disinfection of health care facilities

Get Standard

CSA Z317.13:22

Infection control during construction, renovation, and maintenance of health care facilities

Get Standard

Get involved

Stay up-to-date with the latest developments at CSA Group, connect with your peers and the CSA Group team to ask questions and share your insights, or get involved in the standards development. There are many ways to stay in touch and contribute to creating a better, safer, and more sustainable world.

Contact CSA Group’s Health Care & Well-being Team with questions or to discuss your standards development needs.

[email protected]

Join the CSA Group Long-term Care Homes Community and get access to additional resources, discussion forums, and more.

CSA Group Long-Term Care Homes Community

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^[1]Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in nursing and residential care facilities in Canada, Statistics Canada, 2021
^[2]The time to fix long-term care in Canada is now, The Conference Board of Canada, 2020