Most Ontarians fear home-care services won't be available when they need them, a new poll says.

More than 83 per cent of those surveyed were worried there will not be enough professional care providers as baby boomers retire and require care.

Seventy-eight per cent are concerned they will not be able to afford home care, given the inadequacy of government-run programs.

"Our home-care system is simply not sustainable at the current level of government funding and without a long-term plan," said Joe McReynolds, chief executive officer of the Ontario Community Support Association, which represents 360 non-profit home-care providers.

He said the "human-resources crisis is the biggest threat to the system."

There are severe shortages of nurses and home-support workers, and the turnover rate is over 40 per cent in the home-care field, meaning there is little continuity of service.

Mr. McReynolds said the poll results demonstrate a lack of public confidence in the government handling of home care. He said the numbers also show almost universal backing for free home care for those most in need, notably the frail elderly, the physically disabled and the mentally ill.

But the reality is that these high-needs groups now receive less than 20 per cent of home-care resources in Ontario, which are increasingly being dedicated to people who are discharged early from hospital and need temporary care.

"Due in part to this influx, seniors and people with disabilities are often forced to the end of the line for home care," putting the burden of care on their families, Mr. McReynolds said.

The poll of 1,000 Ontarians was conducted by Ipsos-Reid for VHA Home HealthCare, a charitable home-care agency that cares for more than 4,000 people a week.

David Wright, president and CEO of VHA Home HealthCare, said the poll is one of the first to examine the public view of home care, and the results should send a message to government that immediate changes are wanted and needed.

"The poll identifies real public concern over access to in-home care as they and their parents age. The dream of most seniors is to stay in their homes, but inadequate planning and resources could make it a nightmare," he said.

Mr. Wright said a recent Statistics Canada report predicted that seniors (who depend most on home care) are expected to outnumber children for the first time by the year 2016. That means the number of those in need of support is growing as the number of younger caregivers diminishes.

"About 90 per cent of today's caregivers are made up of family and friends, most of them baby boomers struggling to keep pace with their own lives."

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