Information about inspections of long-term care homes in Ontario is available online, but just how useful that information is has been the subject of a growing debate.

Betty Miller of the Senior Guardian Angels says "I find them very difficult to read, for a lay person I think there's a lot of things in those reports you just don't understand."

Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin agrees. In his report he said the information available is "not easily understood by the general public, and was at times, inaccurate."

That has made the task of choosing a long-term care home difficult, and prompted promises from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that things would change.

Until recently, public inspection reports were only available up to March 2010, despite Ministry of Health claims that inspections up to the end of June 2010 would be available by the end of last year.

That finally changed after it was brought to the ministry's attention, and a spokesperson thanked CTV for pointing out the oversight.

Rating Waterloo Region long-term care homes

CTV has examined those reports in order to determine where the 22 facilities in Waterloo Region stand when it comes to infractions.

Based on the ministry's criteria, Golden Years Nursing Home in Cambridge had the most infractions, and therefore the worst rating.

The facility's report showed 14 unmet standards and criteria, nine citations under legislation and one verified complaint.

Nancy Kauffman-Lambert, administrator of the Golden Years Nursing Home says "We no longer have that many violations, they have been completely wiped out for the most part and we are now compliant."

The infractions included issues regarding the use of restraints, providing a safe environment and bathing.

But Kauffman-Lambert says in most cases proper care was provided, just not documented.

Diana Vidal, a long-term care personal support worker says that's a very common situation, as staff must tend to many patients and deal with the incredibly demanding job.

Eight homes in Waterloo Region had no infractions, including: Cambridge Country Manor, Chateau Gardens Elmira, Fairview Mennonite Home, Riverbend Place, St. Andrew's Terrace, Stirling Heights, Sunnyside Home and The Westmount.

However, these ratings are based on reports up to June 2010, not the inspections that may have since taken place under the new Long-Term Care Homes Act regulations instituted last summer.

Ontario Health and Long-Term Care Minister Deb Matthews says "We've changed things pretty dramatically, we've almost turned it inside out, so now it's much more patient-driven."

That means inspectors must now talk to patients and their families about the long-term care homes as part of the assessment. It's something that wasn't done before, and that many had been asking for.

Christine Taylor is a former long-term care home administrator who now runs nursinghomeratings.ca, a Web site that gives residents and their families a place to voice their opinions about the facilities.

She also found the government reports confusion, "I've always thought that they don't help family members as much as they could."

The ministry says the next inspections released will include written comments, but it remains unclear when they will be made available.

For more on the Ontario Ombudsman's report on Long-term care homes please visit: http://www.ombudsman.on.ca/media/161447/ltc%20for%20web-en.pdf or http://www.ombudsman.on.ca/media/161441/ltcrelease-en.pdf

For all the provincial reports on long-term care homes please visit: http://publicreporting.ltchomes.net/en-ca/default.aspx

For Nursing Home Ratings by residents and families please visit: http://nursinghomeratings.ca/