This current report provides information on the number of older adults in Ontario, and by local health integration network (LHIN) to identify potential needs related to health services for these populations in Ontario. It is estimated that approximately 225,000 individuals in Ontario are current diagnosed with dementia and that up to 450,000 individuals in Ontario are living with significant degrees of frailty. The focus of this report is to describe the current state of three populations in Ontario that are most often the focus of Specialized Geriatric Services (SGS): older adults (defined as age 66 years and older in this report); older adults living with diagnosed dementia; and older adults with frailty.
This is the third in a series of reports generated from the SGS Asset Mapping Project (see related resources).
Background – The Specialized Geriatric Services (SGS) Asset Mapping Project
The Regional Geriatric Programs (RGPs) of Ontario, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, is collecting comprehensive data related to specialized geriatric programs and services in the province of Ontario.
Specialized Geriatric Services (SGS) are defined as a comprehensive, coordinated system of hospital and community-based health and mental health services that assess, diagnose, and treat frail seniors. These services are provided across the continuum of care by interdisciplinary teams with expertise in care of the elderly. SGS is inclusive of both geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry services, along with Care of the Elderly Primary Care (and related primary care memory services) and Behavioural Supports.
This project will inform a current state view of the supply and utilization of health services designed for older people living with frailty (e.g. specialized geriatric services) and will contribute to future capacity planning.