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Since 2021, the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program has served 1,108 patients in Norfolk and completed more than 10,500 appointments for non-emergency care.
Published Dec 24, 2025 • Last updated 19 hours ago • 2 minute read
Home visits from Norfolk County paramedics help at-risk seniors stay out of the emergency room. Photo by J.P. Antonacci /Local Journalism Initiative ReporterArticle content
Seniors waiting for a spot in a long-term care home are often in a delicate medical state, and a trip to the hospital can sometimes make things worse.
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To keep at-risk residents out of the emergency room, Norfolk County paramedics bring health-care to their homes.
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Since 2021, the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program has served 1,108 patients in Norfolk and completed more than 10,500 appointments for non-emergency care.
Nearly 3,200 of those appointments — a combination of in-home visits and virtual consultations — took place in 2025 alone.
“The patients we support through this funding are residents of Norfolk County who live independently or semi-independently in the community and are either eligible for, or currently awaiting, placement in a long-term care facility,” Patrick Quinn, commander of community paramedicine with Norfolk EMS, told The Spectator.
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“Our primary goal is to ensure these individuals remain safe, supported and stable in their homes while they await placement or begin the placement process.”
Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care funded the paramedicine program in 2025-26 to the tune of $964,600.
The program’s track record of proactively providing in-home care while reducing the volume of 911 emergency calls has convinced the province to make the funding permanent as of 2026-27.
In a statement, Norfolk Mayor Amy Martin thanked the province “for its continued investment in community-based health care.”
Queen’s Park also provided Norfolk up to $109,200 to hire more workers to off-load patients from ambulances more quickly.
The county can also access up to $6.1 million next year from the province’s Land Ambulance Services Grant “to support core paramedic operations” in the municipality.
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“These programs strengthen our ability to deliver timely, compassionate care close to home, while easing pressures on hospitals and emergency services,” Martin said.
“This commitment ensures our residents receive the support they need and reflects the strong partnership between municipalities and the province.”
Boosting paramedic mental health
In a separate grant, the province gave Norfolk $25,000 to boost mental health and wellness supports for the county’s paramedics.
The municipality said the money will be used “to deliver peer support training, leadership development, wellness programs and anti-stigma education.”
The in-person and virtual programs are designed to help paramedics cope with their high-intensity work.
“Paramedics face challenging and stressful situations every day,” Martin said.
“This funding will help ensure they have the tools and support needed to maintain mental health and continue providing exceptional care to the community.”
J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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