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Nursing Home
Last Verified:
2006-07-11
The following is intended to provide an understanding of potential licence, permit or registration requirements when considering the establishment of a Nursing Home in New Brunswick. This document is a guide prepared by the Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre and affiliated departments and agencies to provide you with a list of possible steps and issues to consider in carrying out your project. The extent to which the information will apply to you is dependent on the circumstances related to your project.
Before proceeding, reference should be made to the
Business Start-up in New Brunswick guide for information on the steps involved in establishing a new business in New Brunswick. You may also want to consult our complete
List of New Brunswick Guides.
For further information on individual topics identified herein, contact the respective governing body of the Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre. Because this document is only meant as a guide, the Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre will not accept responsibility for business decisions made based on the information provided.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. General
1.1 Industry Overview
1.2 Classification of the Levels of Care
1.3 Layout and Design
1.4 Selecting Your Equipment
1.5 Selecting Your Menus
1.6 Staff Training
1.7 Clients' Record
1.8 Incidence Reporting/Emergency Situations
2. Regulations
2.1 Standards
2.2 Additional Requirements
2.3 Fire Marshal's Office
2.4 Protection of Personal Information: Your Responsibilities
3. Other Sources of Information
3.1 Associations
3.2 Resources
3.3 Related Web Sites
3.4 Statistics
4. Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre
1. General
1.1 Industry Overview
With regards to housing, seniors have to face numerous challenges. More and more seniors share a vast range of interests and needs. They also have variable physical limitations and health conditions. Partnerships between the public, non-profit and private sectors are being organized to offer housing services adapted to seniors' specific needs. Some concerned citizens are looking for means to offer a service in their own community that would allow long-time residents to continue living in their community. Private houses are a convenient way for the autonomous persons or those in light loss of autonomy to stay in their community.
Personal care homes for seniors provide a supportive and nurturing environment for their residents. Services in those homes may include the following:
meal preparation;
administration of medication;
surveillance;
environment that is secure;
assistance with activities of daily living (ambulatory care, bathing, grooming, feeding);
laundry; and
entertainment.
Seniors are one of the fastest growing population groups in Canada. The senior population has grown about twice as fast as the overall population since the early 1980s. The growth is also expected to continue early in the second decade of the new century when baby boomers turn 65. Seniors aged 85 is the fastest growing segment of the overall senior population. Consequently, the demand for eldercare services is also growing.
Eldercare services are:
demanding physically - expect long working days, including some part of the nights;
demanding emotionally - you have to deal with lonely and sick people most of the time;
challenging - you must excel in many areas such as food preparation, services, management, marketing, meeting people, purchasing, inventory control and personnel administration; including numerous disciplines, such as finance, accounting, social work, medicine, psychology, law, fitness, healthy eating, recreational, restoration and nursing; and rewarding, but it can be a negative experience if you are not comfortable working with the elderly - especially as their mental and physical health deteriorate.
1.2 Classification of the Levels of Care
There is no uniform designation for the levels of care for seniors. Most of the time, the levels are divided in the following three categories:
independent;
semi-independent; and
dependent.
1.3 Layout and Design
It is very important to choose a layout and a design that is appropriate for your clients as well as for yourself and your employees. Convenience and security are two main issues to consider. To be adapted for seniors, your home might need some of the following:
bath and toilet grab bars;
handrails where needed;
doorways which are accessible;
air conditioning;
dwelling with no stairs, preferably;
shower without steps;
good lighting;
lever handle on doors; and
nonslip, heavy doormats and runners.
1.4 Selecting Your Equipment
Your house might need to be equipped with bathing equipment, toilet seats, walkers, and wheelchairs. These may be purchased, or may be loaned from the Canadian Red Cross www.redcross.ca or 506-674-6200. A good first aid kit is also a must; please ask your doctor or a nurse about the most practicable accessories for this kit or verify with St. John Ambulance http://www.sja.ca/english/ or 1-800-563-9998.
Leasing Equipment - Another alternative is to lease equipment to help keep start-up costs down.
1.5 Selecting Your Menus
It might be wise to have a dietitian prepare a list of meals for your clientele according to their specific needs or as recommended by their doctor. Please visit the Web site of Dietitians of Canada at www.dietitians.ca
1.6 Staff Training
Provide ongoing training and maintain a library of resource materials. You might want to consider having all staff, including non-professional, trained for:
First Aid;
CPR;
injury prevention;
nurturing care;
security; and
dieting and meal preparation.
The Canadian Red Cross and St. John Ambulance offer courses which might be very useful for you and your personnel. See Section 1.4.
1.7 Clients' Record
It would be wise to keep a good record on each client; some even use a binder for this information. The type of information could be anything pertaining, but not limited, to:
medication intakes;
name of physician;
hospital preference;
infection control information;
oxygen therapy information;
incidence reporting;
smoking and alcohol consumption;
resuscitation;
family contacts;
allergies;
weaknesses;
strengths;
preferences;
injuries; and
diseases.
Another useful type of reporting is a book to record comments of staff on each client at the end of each shift.
1.8 Incidence Reporting/Emergency Situations
You will need to find out to whom in your area you have to report to in case of an accident. You will also need to create your own emergency plan and will have to ensure that all your employees know all the procedures in case of emergency. Information is available on emergency plan preparation at Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada at: http://www.psepc.gc.ca/prg/em/gds/index-en.asp.
2. Regulations
The Canada Health Act sets out two major categories of service: Insured Health Services which include hospital care and services provided by physicians, and Extended Health Care Services which are not insured and include nursing homes or long-term residential care, home care, adult residential care and ambulatory health care services, and are not insured services. Health is a provincial responsibility, but the federal government is also involved in the delivery of home care services as part of its obligations under the Canadian constitution, i.e. Veterans Affairs Canada, First Nations, and the Department of National Defence.
2.1 Standards
If you will be providing personal care and / or supervision and lodging for seniors or persons with disability, you are required to operate under a set of standards governed by the provincial Department of Family and Community Services and obtain a certificate of approval. These standards will govern how you will care for your residents and what guidelines you should follow. To obtain a copy of these standards or if you wish to initiate the procedures to operate a special care home, contact the provincial Department of Family and Community Services in your region.
2.2 Additional Requirements
Family and Community Services will also require that you be given a character and personal record check. (ie previous experience, references, etc.) by a social worker of the Department. All aspects will be taken into consideration, such as previous care experience, personal background, etc, as well as a criminal records check. More information is available from the provincial Department of Family and Community Services in your local area.
2.3 Fire Marshal's Office
Under theFire Prevention Act , it is required that you submit plans of the establishment to the Office of the Fire Marshal for review.
For more information contact the Office of the Fire Marshal at 506-453-2004 or you may also visit the Web site at the following address: www.gnb.ca/0276/fire/index-e.asp
2.4 Protection of Personal Information: Your Responsibilities
The Guide to Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) helps businesses understand their obligations and comply to the Act. Since January 1, 2004, the PIPED Act covers the collection, use or disclosure of personal information in the course of all commercial activities in Canada, except in provinces which have enacted legislation that is deemed to be substantially similar to the federal law.
For more information, see the document
Protection of Personal Information - Your Responsibilities, call toll-free 1-800-282-1376 or visit the Web site: www.privcom.gc.ca/information/guide_e.asp
3. Other sources of information
3.1 Associations
Examples of associations include, but are not limited to:
3.2 Resources
Additional resources which may help eldercare business owners include, but are not limited to:
3.3 Related Web Sites
3.4 Statistics
4. Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre
The Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre is an innovative partnership of federal and provincial government departments. Both levels of government work with key private-sector organizations to create a seamless information network for entrepreneurs.
Our mission is to improve the start-up, survival and growth rates of small and medium sized enterprises by giving business people in every part of New Brunswick access to accurate, timely and relevant information and referrals.
What can we do for you? We can guide you in the right direction! We can give you the information you need! We are your best source of comprehensive business information!
The Canada / New Brunswick Business Service Centre is accessible province-wide and free of charge. You may reach us through our toll-free number or visit us with your questions. Our office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. We also provide a 24-hour business information service, seven days a week, through our Web site.
Here's how to reach us:
Canada/New Brunswick Business Service Centre
Ground Floor, Barker House
570 Queen Street
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 6Z6
Telephone: 506-444-6140
Fax: 506-444-6172
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (Atlantic region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: cbscnb@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site:
http://www.cbsc.org/nb
Hours of operation: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Monday thru Friday - except Government holidays
DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.
Links Policy
Some of the hypertext links lead to non-federal government sites which are not subject to the Official Languages Act and the material is available in one language only.
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