News release

Recruiters, Other Solutions to Attract Continuing Care Assistants

Seniors and Long-Term Care

The Province is moving ahead with plans to attract and retain more continuing care assistants and recruit other healthcare workers into the sector.

The Department of Seniors and Long-term Care has partnered with Health Association Nova Scotia to hire its first recruiter. Another five hires are in progress as part of a new $1.7 million investment. The recruiters will provide human resources support to long-term care facilities and home-care agencies throughout the province.

This investment will also create a skills development fund to help staff grow in their careers and an innovation fund to help long-term care facilities and home-care agencies find local solutions to obstacles that can prevent potential new employees from accepting a job, including moving costs, transportation, housing and tuition for training.

“To provide Nova Scotians with the support and care they deserve as they age, we need a skilled workforce and facilities and agencies with the right staffing,” said Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care. “We’re investing in supports to help the continuing care sector hire the staff it needs and help healthcare staff who work in the sector further develop their skills to improve the care of our loved ones.”

The investment will provide:

  • $622,000 for six recruiters; two of the six will focus on hiring international healthcare workers
  • $360,000 for the skills development fund to help provide training so long-term staff can grow in their careers
  • $360,000 for the innovation fund to help long-term care facilities and home-care agencies find local solutions to obstacles that could prevent a person from accepting or staying in a job
  • $358,000 for related costs such as technology, promoting job postings, developing a website and promotional materials, travelling to recruitment events, and other expenses

Health Association Nova Scotia will hire the recruiters and administer the two funds.

Quotes:

“Individuals who want to build a career taking care of our seniors are special, caring people and there are jobs waiting for them as soon as they complete their training. Continuing care is a specialty field that offers a challenging and rewarding career path for those who wish to make a positive impact on the lives of the community members they care for and their families. We need to recruit and retain more healthcare professionals, including locally and internationally, and we look forward to supporting and welcoming them here in Nova Scotia.”

– Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration

“Nova Scotia’s continuing care providers identified the need for dedicated, specialized expertise to support their recruitment and retention efforts some time ago. We are very pleased to partner with the Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care to administer this provincial program and support concerted and innovative approaches to attracting and retaining new talent to these fields.”

– Mary Lee, President and CEO, Health Association Nova Scotia

“This is promising news for long-term care facilities like ours. This investment in recruiting is putting promises into welcomed actions. The approach is a concrete plan to help facilities and home-care agencies hire workers within continuing care. The addition of dedicated human resource expertise is vital for facilities across the province who are stretched beyond the ability to recruit and retain people on our own.”

– Angela Berrette, Executive Director, Saint Vincent’s Nursing Home, Halifax

Quick Facts:

  • this investment stems from the work of the Long-Term Care Expert Panel to develop a provincial recruitment and retention strategy for continuing care
  • Health Association Nova Scotia is a provincial association that represents healthcare employers, including nursing homes, home-care agencies and residential care facilities

Additional Resources:

The Expert Advisory Panel on Long-Term Care Report is available at: https://novascotia.ca/dhw/publications/Minister-Expert-Advisory-Panel-on-Long-Term-Care.pdf

Health Association Nova Scotia: https://www.healthassociation.ns.ca