A report from CIHI, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, has examined the impact of COVID-19 on long term care residents and staff during the first six months of the pandemic – or the first wave. The Institute says it found that during the peak period of the first wave, 13,959 long term care resident deaths, from all causes, were recorded in selected Canadian provinces which included Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and B.C. This represents 2,273 deaths above what has been observed during the same period in the previous five years, on average.

Some of the other key findings show COVID-19 cases among residents of long term care and retirement homes increased by nearly two-thirds during the second wave of the pandemic.

Compared with pre-pandemic years, in the first wave, CIHI determined long term care residents had fewer physician visits, fewer hospital transfers; and less contact with friends and family, which is associated with higher rates of depression.   In all provinces where it could be measured, the total number of resident deaths was higher than normal during this period, even in places with fewer COVID-19 deaths.